Boundaries
by La Fae
Summary: [Babar] When Flora and Alexander argue, Babar tells the story of a bitter land dispute between Rhinoland and Celesteville. But Rataxes was not the only one with no boundaries. The palace staff are having problems of their own.
1. Boundaries

In the garden behind the palace, Pom and Alexander watched the sky become dark and cloudy. "Perfect day for a frog hunt," said Pom.

Alexander quickly agreed. "I'll say. We should go down to the lake."

"Okay," said Pom. "But you know you'll never get as many frogs as I will!"

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that! Hang on, I'll get my jar," Alexander called back to Pom as he ran inside the palace.

He hurried up the stairs and into his room. Looking at the jar he normally used for frog hunting, Alexander frowned. _Pom has a bucket twice as big as this_, he thought. He tried to think of something, anything, bigger and better. Then he thought of it. Flora had a big jar that would be just right. He scurried down the hall.

Alexander's curious face poked through the slightly opened door. Eyes wide, he scanned Flora's room from top to bottom. _Good_, he thought, _the coast is clear_. For a major frog hunt with Pom, he would not go without a big jar to hold as many frogs as possible. Alexander looked in Flora's closet, and sure enough, he saw it – a huge glass jar that Flora used to hold spare change. _Pom's not going to catch more this time!_ Alexander climbed onto a stepstool, reached up to the high shelf and pulled down the jar. It was heavier than he expected, filled to the brim with gold coins, and he teetered this way and that. One foot slid over the side, and he lost his balance.

Crash! Alexander hit the floor and sent a shower of coins bearing his father's face falling down around him. He heard a flurry of feet. When he opened his eyes, he saw Flora staring down at him, arms crossed. "Hi Flora," Alexander sputtered nervously.

"Alexander! Give that back!" Flora shouted, trying to pull the jar away from him. "You're trying to steal my money."

"Am not!" Alexander yelled back. "I just want the jar to catch frogs."

"Yuck! Even if I believed you, that's disgusting!" Flora pulled harder on the jar and managed to wrestle it away from him. "Ha!"

Just then, King Babar appeared in the doorway. "What is going on in here?"

Seeing the stern look on his face, the children quieted down. Flora was quick to get the first word in. "Alexander came into my room without asking. And he's trying to steal my money, father."

"Am not," Alexander shot back.

"Now children…" Babar began, but was promptly interrupted.

"Were too! And you made up a stupid lie." Flora started to gather up the coins, keeping an eye on Alexander.

"I didn't! I'm going frog hunting with Pom."

"A likely story."

"Children!" boomed Babar. Sure enough, Flora stopped gathering coins and Alexander stopped screaming. "If you can't work this out peacefully, you'll both go to your rooms until you can."

"But my frog hunt!" Alexander whined.

"No buts. You'll stay in your room until you're ready to apologize."

Babar left Flora's room with Alexander. As the door closed behind them, Alexander looked back just in time to hear Flora mutter, "Thanks a lot!"

Without a word, Alexander shuffled into his room and slammed the door behind him. Babar sighed, mopping his brow with his trunk. After straightening his bow tie, he headed in the direction of his throne room. Queen Celeste saw him coming and smiled. "Hello dear."

"Oh, hello Celeste," Babar answered halfheartedly.

"What's troubling you? You seem down."

Babar shook his head. "Flora and Alexander are not getting along. He went into her room without asking permission. She says he's trying to steal her money, and he says he wanted her jar. I only wish they could calmly work things out by themselves."

Celeste chuckled dryly. "I seem to remember you having some trouble with that very thing."

"When?" Babar was defensive. Then he gave it some thought. "Oh, you mean…"

"…the Great Land Dispute," Celeste finished, nodding.

"How could I forget!" Babar answered, somewhat sheepishly. "But that was a very long time ago, and a very different situation."

"I'm not so sure about that, my dear." Celeste smiled, putting an arm around Babar. "Let's see… it all began when I was pregnant with the triplets…"


	2. Preparation

Times were good in Celesteville. Unemployment was low, morale was high, and several years of relative peace had come and gone. Though life in the city was quiet, the palace was bustling with excitement. "This is the best news we've had all year," exclaimed Cornelius, pulling down a box of Babar's old toys from the top shelf of the closet. "An heir to the throne!"

Pompadour stood nearby, nodding as Cornelius spoke, but still focused intently on the list he was writing. "My sentiments exactly," he said, finished his memo with a flourish. "But so much to do, and so little time…"

"I'm sure there's plenty of time for everything," The Old Lady assured him as she looked at the walls, trying to decide where to hang the landscape she had painted for the baby's room.

"Even worrying, but I think we can do without that!" said Celeste, as she sat proudly next to Babar. Cornelius chuckled and placed the box on the floor. Babar and Celeste looked inside. Celeste pulled out an eyeless and well-loved elephant doll and frowned. "I thought I threw this out."

"No," said Babar. "I could never part with him."

The Old Lady covered a laugh. "I could make him as good as new," she said, reaching for the doll.

"Thank you, Madame." Babar gave her the doll and grinned at Celeste. _This brings back memories_, thought Babar as he sifted through the box. "So many memories. Oh! Cornelius and Pompadour, I want your opinions. What colour should we paint the baby's room?"

Pulling from the box a soft yellow blanket that the Old Lady had quilted, Pompadour began, "Of course we should paint the room yellow to match this quilt. I could arrange for a lamp to match, and…"

Cornelius shook his head. "No, the room should be painted light blue. A good soothing colour."

The two glared at each other severely until Celeste spoke up. "I think we should go with green. It just seems right."

"Green it is," answered Babar happily.

Pompadour folded the blanket and placed it back in the box. "If you haven't chosen a colour for the room, _surely_ you've thought of a possible name for the young majesty? Something refined, such as Pierre or Étienne?"

"My tusks, no," Cornelius interjected. "Being next in line for the throne requires a good strong name, like Horatio."

Wincing, Babar and Celeste shook their heads. "I'm sure we'll know the right name when we think of it," Babar said quickly.

Cornelius bounced back quickly. "We should declare a national holiday! A new heir doesn't come along every year, you know."

Babar and Celeste looked at each other with surprise. "Cornelius, we'd like to give it some time before making an announcement. We'll know when the time is right."

"When the time is right," Cornelius repeated. "No harm in that, I suppose. That is, if Pompadour can keep the secret that long."

Pompadour raised an eyebrow, but made no reply to Cornelius. The two had been at odds since the week before, when Pompadour had gone off for a morning jog. In absence of the King and Queen, who were spending the day with Lord and Lady Rataxes, Cornelius unknowingly locked Pompadour out of the palace for several hours. Pompadour blamed the incident on Cornelius's age and fuzzy memory, but Cornelius had been quick to point out that he had really forgotten how peaceful and quiet the palace could be without constant shrieking about protocol.

Without missing a beat, he gave Babar a look at the memo. "Oh Sire, I am elated for you! Of course, I must set up financial arrangements. It can be a burden when you're expecting a happy event," Pompadour said jokingly as Babar scanned the memo. Celeste stood, allowing Pompadour room next to Babar. She went to the window and looked out at the beautiful scene below. She couldn't remember seeing the citizens of Celesteville so happy since the city was constructed. Cornelius was still at work pulling down boxes from the closet, and Babar nodded as Pompadour enthusiastically went through the list. Life looked good. But the view did not extend far enough.

Through the jungle and beyond the mountains lay Rhinoland, where the outlook was less rosy. In the throne room of the palace, Rataxes paced from one wall to the other, while Basil looked on anxiously. "It's that time of year again, Basil," Rataxes grumbled, finally.

"Time for embarrassingly low ratings on this year's public opinion poll?" asked Basil, looking at the calendar.

Rataxes shook his head. "Worse than that! My wedding anniversary is in two days. It seems to come around quicker every year."

When Rataxes said nothing more, but continued to pace, Basil went on, "Have you picked out a gift for her yet?"

Frustrated, Rataxes stopped in his tracks and punched at the wall. "No!" Rataxes roared. Basil brightened. At least this resembled the Rataxes he knew. He was never sure how to respond when Rataxes was so beaten down by his wife. "I've given her flowers, chocolates, jewelry, and the Moon! What do I get for the woman who has everything?"

"Ever thought of _asking_ her what she'd like?"

Rataxes mulled it over. "You really think that would work? She never asks me before she gets me a horn-warmer every year."

Basil nodded, tapping his pen on his pad of paper. "Abso-tively, your Rhiness! You want to keep Lady Rataxes happy."

"That's for sure. The year I gave her the Moon was the best anniversary we've had. I don't usually get more than a horn-warmer."

Basil opened the door. "Then go ask her! She's probably just waiting for you to ask."

"Alright, I'll do it." Straightening his crown, Rataxes marched boldly out.

Meanwhile, Lady Rataxes was sitting in their chamber. Occasionally she would look out the window with a dramatic sigh, then go back to the book she held in her lap. She continued to flip through pages as Rataxes appeared in her doorway. "Knock knock," cooed Rataxes. "How are you this afternoon, my dear?"

Lady Rataxes looked up over her book and sighed, but said nothing. Rataxes hoped to find out without actually asking what Lady Rataxes would like, but words were never his strongest talent. He was still trying to put a question together when Lady Rataxes stood and held out her book to him. "Oh, Rataxes! Wouldn't you love to have this in our courtyard?"

Tilting his head, Rataxes looked at the book. It was filled with pictures of elaborate gardens. In the centre was a pool that more closely resembled an ocean. "A pool?"

"Not _just_ a pool," exclaimed Lady Rataxes, thrusting the book into his arms. "It's a way to bring some glamour to this place we call Rhinoland. A way to brighten up our palace. And a way to get some exercise, like Babar and Celeste do. When I had lunch with Celeste last week, she was radiant, just glowing! And I thought, why not us?"

Rataxes was optimistic. A chance to please his wife and one-up Babar! As a ruler, those were really the only two goals on his checklist. But a pool? That would take some work. But Rataxes was not about to say no, mainly because Lady Rataxes was not one to take no for an answer. "Well, sweetheart, I'll see what I can do. You never know! I'll just borrow this." Rataxes turned and left, closing the door behind him. As soon as he had gone, Lady Rataxes clapped excitedly, and darted to the window to imagine how her pool would look in the courtyard, and how she would look in the pool.

When Rataxes returned to the throne room with shoulders hunched and hands clasped behind his back, Basil was sure that the news was not good. Rataxes looked up, and his face was tired. "Any idea how we can build a pool in two days?"

"Well, your Rhiness, Rhinoland isn't exactly conducive to water. With this dry spell lately, the River is drying up. We're lucky to have it. Your subjects barely have enough to drink now."

Rataxes crossed his arms. "I've given Lady Rataxes everything I can think of, and this is the only thing she wants. It has to be a pool."

Taking in a deep breath, Basil knew that it was his job to keep Rataxes happy so Rataxes could keep his wife happy. It was a heavy load for a small rhino to bear. "Then a pool it will be," Basil relented. He marked down some notes on his pad of paper. "But where can we find water?"

"Drain the river and move it to the palace!" Rataxes ordered, and then remembered to lower his voice, hoping to keep the gift somewhat of a surprise.

"I'm afraid we can't do that, sir," said Basil, cringing. "If we drain the river, what will the citizens have to drink?"

Rataxes grumbled. "Being king would be so much better if it weren't for all those citizens."

Basil pulled down a map of the surrounding area. "The river goes through Rhinoland, but runs pretty far in both directions. We could draw water from a wider part of the river over… here," he suggested.

Shaking his head, Rataxes shoved Basil out of the way. "No! That will take too long. Let's see…" Rataxes followed the path of the river and pointed. "Aha! Here." In the centre of a forest was a large lake that the river flowed into, just beyond Rhinoland's borders. "This is where we will get the water."

"Hate to tell you, sir, but that land is actually part of the Elephant Land."

"Impossible!" Rataxes roared. "Ever since Babar built Celesteville, no elephants have lived in that forest."

"Maybe, maybe not," said Basil, eyeing the location on the map. It was closer to the Rataxes' palace than Babar's. "But it is legally their territory."

Not that that was going to dissuade Rataxes. "I say it's time to make it officially ours. Call the army, call the builders, and bring me a sandwich. We start now!"

That very day, the Rhino Army marched toward Elephant Land. Rataxes had headed the army for a short while, but promptly lagged behind. He then instructed some foot soldiers to carry him the rest of the way. Basil trudged along beside Rataxes, and was now using sheets from his memo pad to wipe his forehead. "Umm, your Lordship, don't you think you should get down and walk the rest of the way? We're due to arrive at the Elephant Lake - -"

"Lake Louise," interrupted Rataxes casually.

"…Lake Louise in a few minutes." Basil looked up at Rataxes, calmly sipping from a coconut as he rode on the hunched and aching backs of four soldiers. "And aren't you being just a bit hasty renaming the lake?"

"First of all, it's hot. Much too hot to do any work." The four struggling soldiers scowled up at Rataxes. "And of course it's not to early to give the lake its new name. The elephants have more time to get used to it."

The forest grew thick and dark, and the rhinos leading the army used their spears to cut a path. The area looked deserted; there wasn't so much as an elephant footprint in the soft black mud. "What did I tell you, Basil?" bragged Rataxes. "This land is up for grabs." Soon, the rhinos could hear the lapping of water against the shore and the cries of water birds. As the captain cut away the last of the brush in their path, the rhinos gasped at the sight of the lake. Many could never have imagined seeing so much water in one place. At last, Rataxes jumped down from the backs of the soldiers, who heaved heavy sighs of relief and straightened their backs.

"This is perfect!" Rataxes shouted, sending a flock of water birds away in a fright. He gave a proud laugh as he took a Rhinoland banner from the hands of one of his men and ran to the water's edge. "I, Rataxes, Lord of all Rhinoland, claim this land in the name of the rhinos!" He planted his flag in the soft mud. It slid and tilted to an angle, but Rataxes shrugged and left it.

The rhinos dashed to the lake with a cheer and promptly began removing their boots and wading in the cool water. Even Basil was pleased. As the rhino soldiers enjoyed a water fight, Rataxes looked over Basil's shoulder at his notes. Basil explained, "The builders are digging the pool even as we speak. We could start transporting water as early as tomorrow."

"Wonderful! If this doesn't make my wife happy, I don't know what will."


	3. Competition

The sun had set on Celesteville, and the royal painter had finished painting the white walls of the baby's room a cool mint green. Toys were piled neatly into a colourful toy box, which stood in the corner of the room, and the yellow blanket was draped over a rocking chair. Babar and Celeste stood in the doorway and admired it. Putting his arm around Celeste, Babar mused, "Just think, before too long, there will be a little baby sleeping away in here."

"I'm not so sure about sleeping, but there will indeed be a baby in here," Celeste said with a chuckle. "Well, I'm going to go to bed a little early tonight, dear. I love you."

"I love you too, Celeste." Babar gave her a kiss goodnight, and then headed in the direction of the kitchen for a snack. As he walked down the hall, he hummed a lullaby and looked forward to having someone to hum it to. His reverie was interrupted by the sound of his name.

"King Babar, there you are!" Pompadour emerged from the room opposite, filled with energy. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"I'm sorry, Pompadour. It's just that Celeste and I have been so excited planning for the new baby… well, I suppose I lost track of time." The two went into the kitchen and sat at the table. After more thought, Babar said, "This is great news, but it won't be easy to be a king and a father."

"Indeed. It will be quite an adjustment on all our parts. But seriously, Sire, I am here to make your job easier. I will do anything necessary to give you ample time to prepare for the little one."

Babar noticed that any mention of Cornelius was conspicuously absent. The two usually acted as a finely-tuned machine. Not without disagreements, but always uniting to ensure that work in the palace ran smoothly. He thought about asking what was the matter, but decided against it. The two would sort out their problems like they always did. "Well," answered Babar, finally. "As you know I've been a little absent-minded lately. I know there is a lot going on in Celesteville right now. Just make sure I don't get behind."

"Of course. I will not allow you to be locked out…" Catching his mistake, Pompadour corrected himself. "Left out, rather. I will inform you of the latest arrangements first thing in the morning."

"I knew I could count on you," Babar said, tired but relieved.

Pleased, Pompadour got up and flounced toward the door. "You have my word on it, Sire. I'll be sure to have your schedule ready for you tomorrow!" As Pompadour made his way to his chamber, he felt better than he had in days. He had been unable to put out of his mind the feeling of being locked out of the palace. Although he wanted to believe that Cornelius's memory was at fault, he felt that he was somehow responsible. _He did say in no uncertain terms that the palace was a more pleasant place without me in it,_ Pompadour thought uneasily. Babar had a family of his own, which was soon to have a new addition. For Pompadour, the residents of the palace were his family. This was the reason he threw himself so passionately into his work; without it, he had little. He fully intended to compensate for Cornelius's words by aiding Babar as best he could in the months to come.

Upon reaching his chamber, Pompadour peered out into the hall and spotted Cornelius chatting with a couple of palace guards. He watched for some time, but as soon as Cornelius turned his head in Pompadour's direction, Pompadour slipped into his chamber and shut the door behind him.

Meanwhile, Babar had completely forgotten about his snack. His mind was swirling with questions. How would he lead the country and his family too? It seemed like such a daunting task. He left the kitchen and wandered down the hall to his chamber, hoping that if he slept on it, things would look better in the morning.

Celeste was already in bed by the time Babar arrived. He changed into his pyjamas, and got into bed. "Good night, Celeste," whispered Babar. When her only response was a light snore, he smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He then rolled over and went to sleep.

Tropical birds sang and chattered in the canopy as it was pierced by sunbeams, which sent a dappling light through Babar's open window. Awakening, Babar yawned and stretched, then turned, extending an arm across the bed. He slowly opened his eyes, hoping to see his Celeste lying comfortably next to him. "Good morning, Sire! Thank heavens you're awake. You've quite a full agenda today."

Babar's eyes sprang open to see not Celeste tucked up beside him, but Pompadour, sitting propped up, holding a lengthy scroll and scrawling with a quill pen. Babar leaped out of bed and landed on his feet with a thud. "Pompadour! Whatever are you doing?"

"Simply ensuring that you are thoroughly prepared to begin your day! You have a luncheon with the Lion Lord at noon, discussion of school funding with the superintendent at 2:30, an interview with the Chronicle at 4:15, and a meeting concerning the Victory Parade at six o'clock. Oh, hopefully we can have you ready for the commission of the new library at nine..."

Babar rubbed his forehead. _What a way to get up in the morning_, he thought, but took it in stride. He reached into the closet for his green suit. Then he remembered Celeste. "Alright. But first things first – where is Celeste?"

Pompadour was caught off guard. "I'm certain I don't know. Though I did pass her in the hall on my way to find you. She said she felt ill."

"Oh no…" Babar dropped the suit and shot out the door.

Despite looking hurt, Pompadour let him go, rose, and gathered up the suit and hung it up for Babar to find. _He is indeed under pressure_, Pompadour thought, looking at the disarray of the chamber. Straightening things up, Pompadour said to himself, "This proves how much he needs me to help. I must fetch him his funding proposal." Normally, clothes being left on the floor in a rumpled pile would have driven him to distraction. But now, he was happy being able to do something for the King. He desperately hoped for words of approval from anyone who might offer them. On the way to his office to collect the proposal, Pompadour held his head a little lower than usual. _I do wish Cornelius and I could sort this out, but I don't dare admit it. No doubt he would say I am weak for trying to extend the olive branch_.

Meanwhile, Babar had disappeared down the hall and skidded to a stop outside the closed bathroom door. He stooped over, breathing hard, and looked up just in time to see the door open. Celeste emerged, flushed and dazed, but calm. Babar stood and gasped. "Celeste, are you alright?"

"I'm fine for now. I'm just going to go lie down."

Babar put an arm around her as the two walked back to the bedroom. "I'm sorry it took me so long to come after you. The strangest thing happened – I woke up this morning expecting to see you, but Pompadour was there instead, with an unending list of duties." Babar shook his head.

"What?" Celeste raised her eyebrows. "I saw him in the hall, and he told me he'd 'send you straight away,'" Celeste said, imitating Pompadour.

"Pompadour takes his job very seriously. He means well, but he has been known to overstep his boundaries before."

"That he does. But so do you. And you have a lot to keep track of." Celeste got back into bed. "Could I meet you for breakfast in a little while? I'm not so hungry, but I'm sure the little one is!"

Stroking her face with his trunk, Babar smiled. "Alright. Do you need anything?" When Celeste shook her head, Babar dressed and left for his office. On his way, Babar instructed Chef Truffles to have breakfast ready in half an hour, and to make something simple for the Queen. Once in his office, Babar began to dig through files for his proposal, only to notice that it was sitting in the centre of his desk. There was also an elegantly written note inquiring when the palace gala should take place. Babar attached the royal seal to the proposal, then wrote at the bottom of Pompadour's note: "Last Saturday of the month. Begin at 7 PM."

He proceeded to do some filing when he heard a knock on the door. It was Cornelius, still looking overjoyed by all the recent good news. "Good morning, Babar. Did you sleep well?"

"Not badly. How about you?"

"Fine, fine. Say, do you happen to have your proposal for the school funding conference this afternoon?"

Babar pointed to the desk. "Yes, I have it here. Pompadour put it in order for me."

"Excellent," exclaimed Cornelius. "And we still need to finalize a date and time for the…"

"The gala," Babar finished. "I've settled that. I just need to get back to Pompadour on it."

"Right." Cornelius looked around the office hoping something would spark his memory with some other task. "Would you like me to do that filing for you?"

Babar shook his head. "No thank you, Cornelius. It looks like Pompadour has taken care of most of it. I can finish the rest of it while I wait for Celeste."

"Is there anything I can do for you, your Majesty? You shouldn't have to carry too much on your shoulders."

"Not that I can think of. Why don't you take some time to yourself? You deserve it." Cornelius had been a dear friend for a great many years, and Babar wanted him to feel free to have a break from palace work if he desired it. Besides, having some time alone appealed to Babar as well, and work seemed to be following him around that morning.

Cornelius's shoulders slumped. "If you say so. I'll shut your door so no one disturbs you." As he closed the door, Cornelius noticed the sunbeams dancing across the marble floor of the palace, and decided that a walk in the beautiful weather was just the thing to occupy his time. On his way to the door, he passed the half-open door of Pompadour's office. Pompadour sat at his desk, and Troubadour sat nearby taking dictation.

Eyes wide, Cornelius turned away. "How does he keep himself so busy?" Cornelius laughed to himself. "It's as if he just can't tear himself away from his world of procedures." Cornelius looked back at the sound of Pompadour giggling, so pleased with his efforts. "Maybe he is right… and trying to put me out of a job," thought Cornelius glumly. "No point fooling myself if I'm just too old." Cornelius reached for the glass door, listening a second longer to the sound of the Chef hard at work in the kitchen, of Celeste moving upstairs, of the Old Lady playing piano in the music room. He smiled peacefully, and went out.

Cornelius went through the door and into the garden. The gardener, Poutifour, had his work cut out for him. The monsoon rains had come and gone, and now the plants were growing wildly. Poutifour waved to Cornelius as he snipped the flyaway branches on some hedges. Cornelius waved back, but secretly wished that he had a job that was strictly his, not one that someone younger and more energetic could take from him. Working with Pompadour did make his job fun; he enjoyed having a companion. United, the two worked wonders. But when they were at odds, little could be accomplished. Cornelius had been with the family a long time, and liked to think that he had earned himself some authority on the palace staff. He was quickly becoming convinced that he had not. He racked his brain, and considered turning around, marching right into Pompadour's office and telling him off, but decided against it. Pompadour was sensitive and moody, so Cornelius sometimes preferred just to stay silent. More important than that, Pompadour was his friend… most of the time.

Wandering through the intricate maze of the palace garden, Cornelius soon reached the outer edge of the garden. Again, he considered going back to make an attempt to straighten things out with Pompadour. And again he decided against it, not particularly feeling like turning around and going back. He leapt over the hedge that separated the palace garden from the outside, and landed squarely on his feet on the other side. "That should prove that I'm still young at heart!" Cornelius was proud, then stooped over to rub his knees. "But maybe not young at knee." He leaned against a tree, watching a brightly coloured bird sitting on a nest. Stretching, he moved along, following a lightly treaded path that led through the woods. Soon, the palace had disappeared from view.

The woods were quiet, save the rustle of the leaves in the breeze, calls of the birds and the hum and buzz of insects. A nearby tree was covered in bright blue butterflies, clearly enjoying the warm sun piercing the canopy. Cornelius wanted to get closer for a better look, but the sound of the leaves being crushed beneath his feet frightened them before he could come close. The butterflies launched off the tree and flew apart like a mirror shattering into little sparkling pieces.

He knew he was no longer a young elephant. His age was apparent in his movements, his face, his manner. Still, he was in excellent shape and was proud of his health. Though he made little effort to hide his age, seeing it as a benefit, Cornelius wondered if he should try to cover it up in some way. _I must seem ancient now if Pompadour thinks he can do my job better_.

Since the two had had their falling out the week before, Cornelius had been particularly self-conscious of his age. He remembered seeing Pompadour in his soft blue tracksuit; he remembered coming downstairs to do some work; he remembered Pompadour saying he would be back in an hour. He also remembered locking the front door, forgetting that Pompadour was outside. He would have certainly forgotten Pompadour completely had he not become suddenly aware of Troubadour wordlessly shuffling around, looking confused and wondering what had become of Pompadour. Upon opening the front door, Cornelius apologized, but was not about to admit that he had forgotten Pompadour. And when Pompadour crossed his arms and squealed, "I might have guessed you were too aged to remember everything in his and her Majesty's absence, but one miniscule detail?" He removed his monocle and wiped it on his jacket.

Rather than admit to a lapse in memory, Cornelius found it easier to give Pompadour an earful. "I wouldn't say that. I can't speak for Babar and Celeste, but I prefer the palace quiet. I don't miss always hearing shrieking about protocol and every little thing being blown out of proportion," Cornelius peered at Pompadour sharply over his glasses.

Cornelius was satisfied, as Pompadour looked too upset to say anything more, and simply stormed off to get changed. Though neither mentioned the incident again, it was not yet behind them. And though he felt vindicated, Cornelius could not deny that things had not turned out as he had hoped. He was confident that the problem would clear itself up in time, but he had no idea how _much_ time that would be.

"My tusks, I went for a walk to get away from it all. I should be enjoying this!" Looking around, he realized he had come very far, much farther than he was aware of walking. But his sense of direction never failed him, and after catching his bearings, he knew where he was. He watched some dazzling parrots chatter back and forth on a high limb. He decided he would go on only a little more before returning home. For the moment he was back to enjoying the beautiful weather and the soothing noise of the jungle, but then he stopped in his tracks. A new sound caught his attention. "That sounds different. I wonder what it could be?" He slogged through some dark mud and followed the sound. As he drew closer, he became aware that it wasn't just noise, but voices as well. The brush became thicker, so Cornelius had to push his way through the low branches. He looked this way and that, as he marched on. _I can't help thinking this place looks familiar_… The noise had become quite loud when Cornelius could see motion through gaps in the leaves. Pulling the last wall of brush aside, Cornelius gasped. He knew exactly where he was and what was taking place.

Before him lay the lake, which unearthed a flurry of memories of a simpler life of generations past. But standing around the lake's perimeter were scores of rhinos, bearing equipment to drain the lake. And not far from where Cornelius stood, next to a cluster of rhinos who had stopped working to grumble back and forth, was a yellow banner bearing the Rhinoland insignia. Cornelius was horrified; the land where he and so many other citizens of Celesteville had been born had been claimed and exploited by Rataxes. The jabbering rhinos paused, and one looked up, dangerously close to where Cornelius was watching. Cornelius held his breath. The rhino shrugged and went back to the conversation. "Like I was saying, I don't see why we should have to do this. It's Rataxes' problem, and it's hot out!"

The others agreed. "Rataxes is already taking the land. Can't Lady Rataxes just swim here?"

"Nah, you know he can't say no to her. She's got him wrapped around her finger!" He slumped his shoulders and dragged his feet like Rataxes would when his wife was in a sour mood. The others laughed and snorted.

"Let's get back to work. The sooner we get the water for Rataxes, the sooner we get to cool off in the lake!" The others agreed, and ran to join the others.

Without waiting another minute, Cornelius leapt back into the jungle and hurried back to the palace. Not in years had he felt younger, or more lost and uncertain.


	4. Discovery

Babar and Celeste were eating breakfast with the Old Lady when Cornelius burst through the door. He leaned against the doorframe and gasped out a few breathy syllables. "Cornelius! Sit down and catch your breath," Babar jumped up from his chair and set Cornelius down at the table. Celeste offered Cornelius a glass of water, which he readily took. After taking a big gulp from the glass, Cornelius stared dolefully into the water. "Are you alright?" Babar asked, concerned. "I sent you for a walk so you could relax."

Having regained his breath, Cornelius looked at Babar and shook his head. "It's the Lake. Rataxes has staked a claim there, and his men are taking the water to Rhinoland."

"_What_?" Babar shouted, sitting next to Cornelius. "That territory has belonged to the elephants for generations!"

"There must be something you can do," said the Old Lady. "Maybe you could share the land."

Babar shook his head gravely and looked out the window, as if to see for himself that the horrible tale was true. "I couldn't bear to," Babar answered.

"Your majesty!" Pompadour appeared in the doorway, beaming. "You…" When he took a look at the serious faces of everyone at the table, he pulled up a chair next to the Old Lady. "What did I miss?"

"Rataxes has sent his army to take control of the Lake," said Cornelius. The two regarded each other uneasily, then quickly turned to look at Babar.

"So much for a new, tranquil Celesteville," said Babar, imagining his land being torn up and trampled by rhino soldiers.

"There is never a good time for an international incident," Pompadour sighed, looking at his schedule. "It seems Rataxes can only go so long without interfering. I've calculated that to be approximately seven months."

Babar rested his arms on the table. "I know Rhinoland has no lake of its own, but I just could not give up that land," Babar explained. "I was born there. So were you all, and so was nearly everyone in Celesteville. We can't give up the place that is part of our history and part of us." He paused, and looked down at the table. "It is also the last place I saw my mother. If I gave up that land to Rataxes, I would feel like I was betraying her, letting her go."

Cornelius nodded. "It was not far from there that I passed the Old King's crown on to you. It's true that no one has lived on that land for years, but it is so much more than a piece of territory."

"It was the birthplace of Celesteville," Celeste continued. She put an arm around Babar. "I'll give Lady Rataxes a call. Maybe she can shine some light on this."

"Alright, my dear," he sighed. "Clear my schedule, Pompadour. I have to take care of this."

Pompadour looked as though he wanted to protest, but said only, "Of course, Sire. I will speak with Basil." He awaited a response, and receiving none, looked around for Babar, who was leaving the dining room with Cornelius and Celeste. Halfheartedly, he scratched out the appointments on the schedule. As much as that troubled him, he knew that there were greater things to worry about.

In the study, Babar and Cornelius looked over a map. "It was this whole area here," explained Cornelius, tracing a circle around the jungle clearing with his trunk. "I was standing here, there was a banner planted not ten feet away, and a few flags set up around the Lake."

"About how many rhinos did you see?"

"I couldn't say," Cornelius answered, thinking hard. _Remember, Cornelius. Remember, this is important for the whole kingdom… _He tried to feel the jungle heat, the leaves surrounding him, and see what he saw when he was observing the rhinos from his hiding place. "Ah! Probably 70 or 80."

The outlook was not so bleak after all, Babar thought, looking at the area. "That doesn't sound like enough of an offensive to attack Celesteville. Rataxes knows that it would take more soldiers than that to invade the city."

"Maybe that piece of land is all he wants. He might not be interested in attacking us. I'm sure he knows as well as we do that the area is deserted."

Babar was insistent. "Deserted or not, that land belongs to the elephants. He could be trying to establish a blockade, and force us to pay a toll for our own water. Or maybe it's something more. Regardless, we can't let Rataxes move onto our land without a fight. Send for the Elephant Army. We'll easily outnumber such a small outpost."

"At your command, Babar," Cornelius left to deploy the troops.

Babar collapsed into his chair. This was not how he envisioned things to be. He had entertained high hopes of being able to take things slowly so he and Celeste could await the birth of their first child. Now he feared that a dark cloud would hang over the coming weeks and months, and he would be consumed in a brewing land dispute with the rhinos. He hunched over the map, looking blankly at the disputed territory, outlined in red. How he wished that he could instead give his people the happy news that there would soon be an heir to the throne, instead of having to inform them that Rataxes and the rhinos were encroaching on Celesteville!

Looking to the wall, Babar focused on a plaque of his mother. He had had it commissioned years ago to hang in the study, so it could be as if his mother were with him, able to see how far he had come. But he felt now as though she wasn't there with him anymore. "Mother, I promise I will not let Rataxes take our home away. I promise."

After Cornelius sent for the troops, he went upstairs to fetch his hat. On his way back down, he saw Pompadour still sitting at the dining room table, nervously arranging his ascot with his trunk, paperwork spread across the table. He looked on the verge of panic. Cornelius felt a sense of pride as he made his way outside to await the troops. _Too old, am I? Not to old to lead the army! That's not a job for the faint of heart, like some of us around here_… He shut the door behind him and looked in the dining room window. The smile disappeared from his face, and he turned and walked away. Inside, Pompadour looked up from his work arranging finances to cover the new baby as well as the beginning conflict against the rhinos. Seeing no one, he shrugged and returned to his paperwork.

Meanwhile, Celeste sat by the phone. She was unsure what to say when her close friend Lady Rataxes answered the phone. There was no simple and tactful way to say that her husband had come into the Elephant Land and claimed territory that had belonged to the elephants since long before they were born. Celeste was just reaching for the phone when the Old Lady rose from her rocking chair to show Celeste her latest handiwork: a white baby jumper with little green leaves embroidered on it. "How do you like it? I think your little one will be adorable."

That brought a smile to Celeste's face. For a time she had become so consumed by relations with Rhinoland that she had forgotten that she was carrying the heir to the throne. "It's beautiful, Madame," she said, pleased. "And so soft! Thank you." The Old Lady left to place the jumper in the chest of drawers in the baby's room.

Once alone, Celeste took a deep breath, picked up the phone and dialed before she could talk herself out of it. She had always preferred action to idle planning. "Hello?"

"Hello, Louise. It's Celeste. How are you?"

"Wonderful, thank you! Things are better than ever!"

Celeste worked hard to hold in a disdainful laugh. _So not only has Rataxes taken our water, but the good times in Celesteville are following it_. But Celeste was not going to hold it against her long-time friend. The two had an unspoken agreement not to blame each other for turmoil between their husbands. "Really? Why is that?"

"Oh, first of all, tomorrow is my anniversary. I couldn't be more excited! You won't believe what I've gotten Rataxes."

"Well –"

"It's a horn warmer! It's yellow with little tiny palm trees all over it. And you'll never guess what he's getting me. Go ahead and try, but you won't believe it!"

"He –"

"I'm definitely surprised. I can't believe it either. It's not like him to pull through. He did get me the Moon though. It still looks beautiful, doesn't it? Anyway, I knew I'd really have to push him to make sure he knew what I wanted."

"So –"

"As soon as I told him, he went away without another word, just a great big smile on his face! I'm over the Moon, I guess you'd say." Lady Rataxes paused to sigh dreamily. Celeste was quiet. Lady Rataxes spoke up again. "Don't you want to know what it is?"

Celeste was growing impatient, but knew that Lady Rataxes was always this way when she was overjoyed. "Yes. What is it?"

"It's going to be a big, glamourous, state-of-the-art swimming pool!" When Celeste did not give her a response right away, Lady Rataxes continued, hoping Celeste would be happy for her. "I've always wanted one, but I never thought to ask for one before. It never occurred to me that he would say yes. Don't ask me how he's going to do it, but… that's my Rataxes!"

"I don't think I need to ask," Celeste remarked softly. It was no longer a mystery where the water was going. "Louise, I'm surprised you could keep a pool in Rhinoland. Every time I've visited it has been so hot and dry. It's amazing that you still have your River!"

"That it is."

Even though Celeste knew that once the Rhinos set their minds to something, they would stubbornly pursue it forever, she was still going to make an attempt to change her friend's mind. She did not want to have to lay the guilt and blame on Lady Rataxes for the invasion of the Lake and surrounding territory, but what else was there to do? Babar was equally bound and determined not to let the land go. "Louise, don't you know you're always welcome to come and swim with us in the ocean by Celesteville?"

"Oh, but I wouldn't want to impose. And besides, I want to swim every day, and I can't come all the way to Celesteville every day!"

"Why do you need to swim every day?"

Lady Rataxes collected her thoughts, and shared them in a voice much softer than her usual dramatic manner. "I want to lose weight and get a nice tan for Rataxes. When you and Babar came to visit, I saw the way Babar looked at you, and I only wished that Rataxes would look at me like that! Not that it's any surprise. You looked stunning. Absolutely radiant! What _did_ you do?"

"You see, I…" Celeste came so close to telling Lady Rataxes that that day the week before, the news that she would soon have a baby was still quite new. She wanted so much to tell a friend outside the palace that there would soon be little elephant feet running around, that a little prince or princess would be added to the family. Deciding that this was not the time, she held her tongue. "…I can't say. It must have been the new dress I had on. But tell me, haven't you and Rataxes been getting along?"

"Sure, we get along. But everything I say goes in one ear, out the other, and onto Basil's notepad. Basil shows me more attention than Rataxes does most days, and that's only because we pay him to! As long as I've known you and Babar, you've always seemed to have something there. You were friends who loved each other too. But it seems like no matter what I do, Rataxes is never truly interested in me, or anything I have to say. So I hoped maybe, just maybe, if I looked my best for him, he'd get excited about me like he did when we were young, before I was the Queen. When I was lovely Louise."

"I'm sure Rataxes loves you as much as ever," said Celeste. "He just may not be the best at showing it, with his gruff exterior."

"He loves playing general. He makes that clear enough. He gets so excited over his silly maps and action figures. And he's been out directing the army all day. I wonder what that's about."

"He's… it's a mystery." Celeste could not bring herself to talk about the invasion and land dispute. If Lady Rataxes did not know yet, Celeste was not about to ruin her perfect day by telling her.

"I just wish I knew what he was thinking. All I can do is hope that now he will love me like Babar loves you."

Celeste hated to think of her friend being unhappy, and wishing her husband was more like Babar. Celeste began to miss Babar as well, feeling he was being pulled away by work. But such was the life of a king. "He's your husband. He'll let you know he loves you. Sometimes you might have to look for it."

Cheering up again, Lady Rataxes answered, "You're probably right. Tomorrow is our anniversary, after all."

"There you go."

"I better be going. So much planning to do with the new pool!"

"Yes, of course."

"Good to hear from you, Celeste. Stay in touch!"

"I will. Bye for now."

"Bye-bye!"

The phone went dead and hummed for several seconds, but Celeste still held it in her trunk. When she let it fall back onto the cradle, she felt a wave of nausea come over her. Even though she believed part of it was the baby, she knew most of it was the land dispute. It was bigger than two kings. It was bigger than two kingdoms. It was about her husband and her friend unknowingly battling over the water in order to be closer to someone who seemed to be drifting away.

If Lady Rataxes wanted her husband's attention, and Babar wanted to feel closer to his mother, then Celeste felt she was losing touch with both of them. Especially Babar. She had barely seen him at all that morning, which was rare after months of leisurely breakfasts and strolls through the garden together. She thought of the idyllic day out the week before, when even Babar and Rataxes seemed to be able to tolerate one another. Just when it seemed like nothing could go wrong, Babar was suddenly spending the whole day listening to lists of tasks, barely even breaking away to say hello or give her a hug and a kiss. It was impossible for Celeste not to understand how Lady Rataxes felt, especially since she was now in the same boat. Now that Babar was spending more time on his war than on her, and his child. She never would have imagined that she could miss Babar so much after waking up next to him and later sharing breakfast with him that very morning. Just like relations with Rhinoland, her relationship with Babar could change a great deal over the course of a day.

She went downstairs for something to drink, but seeing the water come out of the tap put her off. She sat at the table and tried to fill in a crossword puzzle to pass time. It couldn't hold her attention. Seeing Cornelius go by with the captain of the guard and later Pompadour and Troubadour with a growing list of detailed plans to finance the defence again aroused her frustration. After years of being Queen, she knew that not being able to spend as much time together as they would like was part of being the royal family. When was enough enough? She couldn't draw a line for Babar or Lady Rataxes. To make matters worse, she felt she could tell neither of them why she felt so alone.

After putting the phone down, Lady Rataxes jumped up to look out the window again. The workers had already finished creating a large rectangular pit just outside her window. She couldn't wait to see it filled with water. "Maybe one of these days I can even get Rataxes to put down his silly dolls and take a dip with me." She looked out the window to see Rataxes and Basil giving the pool a look over while simultaneously directing soldiers bearing great barrels of water. "Not that that's likely." She sighed and went back to looking at her book, filled with pictures of rhino couples casually sipping colourful drinks and enjoying their pools.

"We're set to fill 'er up, your Rhiness," announced Basil with a quick salute.

Crossing his arms, Rataxes looked pleased. "Good. Ready boys?" The soldiers raised their barrels. "Okay, pour them in!" The soldiers poured barrel after barrel of cool water from the elephants' lake into the pool.

As the water rushed in, cascading against the hard brown dirt, Basil shouted over the torrents, "It looks like your plan was a success."

"You can say that again. We might actually have a good anniversary this year. All I can think about is how happy Lady Rataxes is going to be."


	5. Taking Sides

A fanfare of drums and trumpeting sounded as the Elephant Army marched forth into the jungle after the rhinos. Cornelius watched them go, confident that they would protect the land. Though pleased, as he watched them file off and trample through the brush, he thought to himself, _That's a lot of money marching away_.

At the same time, Babar watched them go from the window of his office, Babar sighed. It seemed as though he had been sitting at his desk for an eternity, looking over finances. He sat surrounded by a wall of thick open books. Pompadour stood beside the desk analyzing some reports. Babar hated to think of defending his birthplace in terms of gold. He looked at Pompadour. "I can't put a price on loving my mother, but there are prices on schools, books… and cradles," he added, looking desolate. "I'll do whatever it takes."

After several silent minutes, Pompadour looked up. "With the upcoming school funding proposal and the new addition to the royal family we are under some financial duress. Now not only do we need to support this conflict with the rhinos, but our access to fresh water is jeopardized, and we will have to pay to have it imported. Unfortunately, your Majesty, we have two options – either dip into the surplus or raise taxes."

"I was afraid of that. I don't want to sound selfish, but knowing I can go back there is a comfort to me. I can't be the only one in Celesteville who feels that way. We all need our roots to go back to. Everyone needs somewhere to belong. Do you know what I mean?"

Pompadour certainly did know. The royal family was the only family he had, and feeling isolated from it was the loneliest feeling he could have. Quite some time had passed since speaking to Cornelius, so now Pompadour latched onto Babar, who he felt was his only remaining ally. It was much easier to bury himself in work at Babar's command than to try to explain himself to Cornelius. Pompadour nodded, but gave no direct answer. Flipping through a ledger, Pompadour looked hard at the values and adjusted his monocle. "Well Sire, if this matter with the rhinos clears up within a few months, we can fund it with our surplus and still be financially secure."

"It's true. Rataxes will work hard for what he wants, until he wants something else. We'll cover the costs ourselves. Take the surplus from the treasury. As long as my people still have everything they need."

"Granted, it will be tricky, but I believe we can manage it." Pompadour jotted down a memo for himself. "It will be done. You know, I admire you. You stay so composed in a crisis. I simply can't imagine how you can handle so many issues at once."

"And I wish I had a secret I could give you. This is one of those times when there really is too much going on."

Just then, Celeste appeared in the open door. "Babar?"

"Hello, Celeste," he answered.

Celeste caught sight of the mountain of books covering Babar's desk. "I'm sorry. I won't bother you. We can talk later."

As she turned to leave again, Babar called to her. "No, don't go. I haven't seen you since this morning. How are you feeling?"

"Alright," she answered, coming in to stand near him.

"Did you speak with Lady Rataxes?"

Celeste was afraid to tell him about the results of the conversation, but there was no way around it. She knew she would not be able to hold back her feelings about it forever. "Yes, I did."

"Did she offer any insight as to why Rataxes is breaching our borders?" Pompadour leaned in, interested.

"I suppose. Tomorrow is their wedding anniversary and Rataxes promised her a pool."

Babar looked curiously at Celeste, trying to be certain that he had heard correctly. "As in a swimming pool?"

"Yes," Celeste answered hesitantly. "But –"

"Outrageous!" shouted Babar, pounding once on the table, surprising both his advisors. "Of all the thoughtless behaviour. Taking our land so they can build a pool?"

Celeste hoped to calm him down, not wanting to fuel the flames. "Please, dear. You know what the climate in Rhinoland is like. The only water they have is that small river. Couldn't we pull back the soldiers and help the rhinos? It won't take much water."

"Absolutely not," Babar replied, firmly. "This is our land, and we aren't obligated to submit to Rataxes just because he wants it."

"Precisely," Pompadour agreed. "If we allow him use of the land and water, what next? When he demands the rest of our forest, will we hand it to him?"

Surprised by the resistance, Celeste was quiet. She was not surprised to hear Pompadour oppose her suggestion to aid the rhinos. The two had never particularly seen eye-to-eye, and frequently disagreed on policy. They were in constant competition for Babar's attention, and Celeste was in no mood for it. "This is very important to Lady Rataxes. She didn't tell him to come onto our land; that was his choice. Couldn't we just…"

"No, we couldn't." Babar was at a loss. "We are going to do what we have to do to show Rataxes that we won't let him trample us."

"This has nothing to do with Rataxes, or pools, or water, or anything!" Celeste shouted, tired of being stuck in the middle. "It's about you feeling guilty. When is the last time you visited your birthplace? Maybe you can remember, but it's been too long for me. Now that Rataxes has claimed that land, you are ashamed by how long you've been away, and you feel like you've run out on your mother."

There was no way for Babar to respond; he knew it was true. All he could say was, "I want to do what is best for Celesteville. That is all I can do, and I'm not going to surrender to their selfish plan."

Celeste turned to leave. "Rataxes isn't the only one who doesn't know where his boundaries are." Babar felt his heart break watching his wife go. He hated to see her hurt, but he was only doing what was for the good of the kingdom. _At least, I __**think**_ _this is for the good of the kingdom_, Babar thought, becoming more and more confused.

"I'll leave you to your work, Sire," said Pompadour, following Celeste out of the office. He closed the door gently behind him and approached Celeste. "I can't fault you for your efforts to be diplomatic, but there are times when a line must be drawn. It is impractical to rely on appeasement forever."

"Pompadour, this is just as important to Lady Rataxes as it is to Babar. I don't want to go to war over something we can settle peacefully."

"Naturally," said Pompadour, developing a condescending tone. "Even so I would have expected to see you show more support for his Majesty. He is in a difficult position, you know. I can see that."

Those were not words Celeste would accept willingly. Coming from a difficult position of her own, the centre of a tug-of-war between Babar, Lady Rataxes, and her unborn child, she was not going to listen to any more. "I always stand behind Babar. I stand behind my friends, too. You might know something about that if you had anyone close to you. You'd rather put on airs and push everyone away." Pompadour looked as though he wanted to make a feeble protest, but Celeste wouldn't give him the chance. "I promise, you're good at that."

With that, she turned and left. Pompadour stayed behind, looking at a portrait on the wall. In it were Babar and Celeste, Arthur, Zephir, the Old Lady, and of course Cornelius all sitting comfortably on the couch in their pyjamas. A family. _Perhaps I'm not part of the family_, he wondered. _I'm in other portraits; why not this one?_ Seeing Cornelius looking so at home between Celeste and Arthur, Pompadour wanted to be right there in the picture, where he belonged. Or wanted to belong. Hanging his head, he wished that he had Cornelius to talk to, but he was unwilling to break the barrier, still hoping to avoid appearing needy. _At least Babar values my advice_. He returned to his stuffy office to arrange funding with Troubadour, but did his work without his usual zeal, only plodding through bit by bit.

Just as Babar was finishing up and putting away all his books and papers, Cornelius returned. "Babar, I have good news!"

"That's the first I've had today," Babar was cautiously optimistic, and sat at his desk again to hear Cornelius.

"I've just received word that our troops have arrived at the location in question. We outnumber the rhinos and have begun to push them back."

"Excellent." Babar looked relieved, but was still troubled by what Celeste had to say earlier. "Cornelius, do you think I'm not making the best decision for my subjects? Is it selfish of me to send out the Army so quickly because I want to protect where I was born?"

"My tusks, no!" Cornelius did not expect Babar to even consider going back on his decision. "You're protecting a piece of Celesteville history, and you can't put a price on that. Besides, it's always best to catch these things early. If we tried to arrange peace talks, Rataxes could have ignored us and invaded Celesteville. Since we responded so quickly, we could have the rhinos off our land in a matter of days, and we can put all this behind us!"

"I know he wouldn't have invaded Celesteville," said Babar.

Cornelius laughed. "Come now. You know how unpredictable Rataxes can be."

"Yes, but Celeste was speaking to Lady Rataxes. Tomorrow is their anniversary, and he's used water from the Lake to build her a pool."

"Of all the impractical, selfish schemes." Cornelius did not waste much time being glad that the rhinos were not planning to invade Celesteville, and went straight to disliking Rataxes' real plan. "How are they going to keep a pool in Rhinoland? Especially this time of year, so hot and dry."

Babar shrugged. "Well, when Lady Rataxes wants what she wants…"

Understanding, Cornelius spoke seriously. "In the face of everything you've had to deal with, I say you've done a remarkable job. We know you had all of us in mind when you sent the troops to protect our land." Babar nodded, but said nothing, not wanting to admit that he had spent very little time thinking about his subjects' connection to the land. His main concern for the land itself was preserving the link to his mother. "The citizens were shocked to hear that we were going to war, but seem to know that it won't be long before it's over. Come with me and get something to eat. You've worked hard and you need it!"

"I guess you're right," said Babar, tucking the last few papers into drawers. "You go ahead. I'll be there in a minute." Cornelius removed his hat, gave a quick bow, and left for the dining hall. Babar turned to look out the window. Now more than ever before, he wanted to visit his birthplace again. Work in the palace had long kept him from doing things he wanted to do. It had been years since he left Paris with the Old Lady, but he had never been back since. He regretted being away so long, because the children he had become friends with back then had since grown up, and he knew nothing about what was going on in their lives. A trip to Paris would have to be arranged, but he had no excuse for not making the trip to his birthplace other than work and being too deskbound to take the long walk. He knew that it was not Rataxes' fault for mistaking the land as unoccupied. It was his own for not taking the time to visit it and make it more accessible for citizens who might share his need to connect with their memories of an older, more innocent land of elephants. All he could do now was wait for things to calm down; then he might be able to claim the Lake and surrounding area back for Celesteville, to bring it back to its people. Waiting for that day was going to be the most difficult part. That in mind, Babar left his office, eager to get away from work for awhile, and followed Cornelius to the dining room.

That night, a tired Celeste was in the baby's room, hanging a mobile that the Old Lady had made. Little wooden jungle animals spun delicately around a palm tree. _I love it_, she thought, gazing warmly at it. "I can't wait until the baby is here looking up at it." Satisfied, she spun it with her trunk and hummed, imagining that she was holding the baby in her arms. She tried to picture the little one. _Will it be a girl? Will it be a boy?_ She wondered about it, then considered another possibility. _Or maybe… no, I'm sure it will be only one_. She looked out over the city again; this room likely had the best view in the palace. Even though she knew the war was raging on out in the jungle, the palace was quiet; the lights were low, and everyone was getting ready for bed.

"Knock knock." Celeste turned around to see Babar standing in the doorway. She was unsure what to say to him now. By her silence, Babar feared that she was still upset with him. "What are you up to?"

She gave him a small smile. "Just hanging Madame's mobile. And looking at your city."

Babar joined her at the window. "It's _our_ city! We built it together, and it bears your name."

"But you are the King. You make the decisions." She did not look at him, but continued to stare at the rising Moon behind the mountains. Babar was shocked that she would say such a thing, but he could see that she was not trying to anger him or get even. She was beginning to believe it.

"I may be the King, but I share my crown with you. And I would not be the King that I am without you beside me." Seeing Celeste that night made him realize that he could not afford to take her for granted. He may have given the elephants the means to establish a city, but he could never have accomplished it without her support and love, even after being away so long, he was sure he had been forgotten. "I've been thinking all evening about what you said. I shouldn't have rushed into a war, but I was ashamed to let the land go after waiting so long to go back."

"I can understand, and I forget sometimes that while I can go into town and see my mother, you can't."

"It wasn't fair of me to put you in the middle. I hope you can forgive me. As soon as the Rhino Army is out of our territory, we will contact Rataxes and come up with a compromise."

After a day of being pushed aside and ignored, Celeste was relieved to hear Babar not only hearing her opinion, but agreeing with it. She was beginning to feel like the Queen again. "I'm just content to hear you say that. There was no way I could choose between you." Babar opened the window to allow the warm breeze to blow in through the window.

Down the hall, Pompadour emerged from his office, carrying a stack of paperwork. He had finally finished drawing up a financial plan for the war, and he was more than satisfied with his work. "I do believe I've accounted for every possible possibility," Pompadour said to himself. "No detail is too trivial to overlook." He was considering bouncing it off Babar for approval before it needed to be signed, but thought it might be best to wait until the next morning after such an unpredictable day. Still, he looked for Babar out of the corner of his eye, just to see where he had gone.

He spotted Babar and Celeste in the baby's room and paused to see what was going on. Babar spoke softly to Celeste. "I feel terrible about today. I haven't been there for you when you needed me."

"You can't put me before your people, dear. I wouldn't expect you to. Even though I do hate losing you to your work."

Putting an arm around her, he gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I spend so much time listening to my advisors, I sometimes forget to listen to what you have to say. I will make sure that this war is ended as quickly as possible." The two held each other, watching the Moon rise.

Pompadour silently crept away. He returned to his office and piled the paperwork on his desk. "This is some of my finest work." Pompadour looked desolately at the stack. "And yet my work is never enough." He had already rewritten Babar's schedule, and had now designed a funding plan, both of which seemed to mean little. Although he was disappointed, feeling that his opinion was being disregarded, he tried to brush it off. Celeste was Queen, after all. He sat in his chair, rubbing his temples. Nothing he did was good enough.


	6. Foreign Affairs

Awakening as the sun poured in through the window, Babar opened his eyes to see Celeste sleeping peacefully next to him. He stroked her arm. "Good morning," he whispered.

"Good morning, Babar!" Startled, Babar turned over to see Cornelius looking out the window. "It is a lovely day, isn't it?"

It was in times of crisis that Babar remembered how wonderful and rare a thing privacy was in the palace. Despite the intrusion, Babar remained patient. He slid into his slippers and rose. "What can I do for you, Cornelius?"

"Nothing for me. I just wanted to deliver some good news! During the night, the Elephant Army fought to push back the rhinos, and has managed to remove them from Celesteville."

"What a r—" Babar was excited by the news, but remembered that Celeste was still asleep and lowered his voice. "What a relief!"

"A relief indeed. I'll have our men patrol the border."

"Only until peace talks can be arranged," answered Babar. "Now that we seem to have the upper hand, I'm sure we can work something out with Rataxes."

"Splendid!" Cornelius shouted.

Celeste tossed and turned, then raised her head. "Babar?"

"I'm sorry, dear. We were just talking about the land dispute. The rhinos are out of Celesteville!"

Although pleased, Celeste yawned and stretched. The news was good, but disruptions every morning were not. She got up to give gave Babar a quick kiss, then left to get ready. "I'll see you two at breakfast. You won't be allowed to talk business anymore; you can only relax and enjoy yourselves."

Cornelius smiled. "You are very lucky to have her, Babar. I like the way she thinks!"

"Putting the whole thing out of our minds for awhile can't hurt." Ready for breakfast, Babar accompanied Cornelius towards the door, then remembered that instead of his spats and green suit, he was still wearing slippers and pyjamas. He stopped, laughing. "You go ahead. I'll meet you downstairs in a little while."

Babar entered the dining room to find a much more pleasant scene than what it had been the day before. Cornelius was relaxing with coffee, and Celeste chatting with the Old Lady. As he sat next to her, he remembered the early days of his reign, days like the previous one, which were filled with stress and busy schedules. The last few quiet months had been too good to get used to. When Pompadour and Troubadour joined the family at the table without a word, he wondered if perhaps things were calming down again.

Chef Truffles brought out breakfast, tall stacks of pancakes. Pompadour watched the others begin, and despite liking the look of the meal, he had no appetite. Not feeling like part of the family anymore, Pompadour only listened in silence as Cornelius and the Old Lady reminisced about some years old memory, and Babar and Celeste discussed names for their child. Troubadour, despite his small size, had already eaten most of his breakfast, and grinned when Cornelius laughed at Troubadour's nearly empty plate.

"Sire, I have drawn up a financial plan that is on your desk awaiting your approval," Pompadour began. Work was the only topic he could discuss comfortably. "And according to your schedule, you must meet with the captain of the Elephant Army to discuss the land dispute, an inspection of the Royal Guard, and…"

"My tusks, Pompadour," interrupted Cornelius as he poured maple syrup on his pancakes. "Couldn't you let King Babar finish his breakfast before you drop a list of duties on his shoulders?"

"Need I _remind_ you, Cornelius, his Majesty must be kept informed of any and all changes that occur." Pompadour was trying hard to keep his cool, which was no easy task. Looking at Cornelius, who was supposed to be his coworker and best friend, now eyeing him critically for interrupting an opportunity to escape work.

"Pardon me. Babar can't possibly make it through breakfast without your input." Cornelius did not even want to continue the battle back and forth, but it had lasted over a week, and he was unwilling to admit defeat.

Troubadour looked at his one remaining pancake, made a face, and scurried away.

"It's alright, Cornelius." Babar was enjoying breakfast free from the stresses of work, but he had also been enjoying a break from listening to a weeklong fight with no clear origins. "There's always time for business, and sometimes that time is breakfast."

"I say, you're a good sport, Babar." Still set on proving to Pompadour that he was not too old for his job, Cornelius suggested, "Since you have so much to plan for the little prince or princess, why not let Pompadour and me take care of everything on the schedule?" Pompadour shot him a look, but Cornelius ignored him.

"Are you sure?" Babar was surprised that the two would be willing to work together, but wasn't about to argue. He had heard enough arguing, and if taking over his duties for the day might ease the tension, he was eager to allow it.

"Why not?" Cornelius was insistent. "It's no trouble at all, and I'm sure it would do you good. I'll give the soldiers their orders and take care of the filing."

"I suppose I can perform the Royal Guard inspection and prepare a peace conference with Basil." Pompadour made himself a note.

Celeste looked at Babar. He shrugged. "I guess there's no harm in that. It will make up for the time we had yesterday." Celeste and the Old Lady picked up where they left off talking about the baby. Cornelius and Pompadour left the table to get started on the day's work. "Thank you both!" Babar called to them.

The two smiled. "Anytime," answered Cornelius.

Pompadour nodded. "It's our pleasure."

As they approached the door to the hallway, Cornelius and Pompadour bumped into each other on the way out. They jumped back and looked at each other, speechless. Cornelius knew it would be all too easy to turn this into yet another argument, but instead, he extended an arm. "After you."

Pompadour looked surprised, but smiled. "Why, thank you." They did not say another word, but for the first time in ages, they began to look like friends again.

Pleased, Babar watched them go. "I hope that's the end of that. I didn't think it was my business to ask what was bothering them, so I'm glad to see that they're working it out."

Even Celeste, who was still bothered by Pompadour from the night before, was happy for them. "At the end of the day, they're best friends. They can't stay angry at each other for long."

"It looks like things are getting back to normal," said the Old Lady.

Babar nodded. "I hope you're right." With that, breakfast and business were over, and the three moved to the drawing room, where they pondering names and poring over catalogues to select furnishings for the baby's room.

Being King, Babar was only able to stay away from work for so long. Every time Celeste pointed out a cradle or a pram she liked, Babar thought of his mother. He was grateful that his child would grow up with a mother; no hunter would take her away. Though he missed his mother every day, he took comfort in knowing that Rataxes would not take her away a second time. But he had let her go, by not taking the time to visit the land where they had lived. As he regretted and wondered _what if_, all the pictures in the pages of Celeste's catalogue blurred together. Every cradle looked just like the last.

"So what do you think, dear?"

Hearing Celeste speaking to him, Babar tried to brush away the worry. Even as the years passed, it was no easier to go through his days knowing his mother was not there to see how far he had come. She would not see her first grandchild. "What do I think? About what?"

Celeste laughed, and took his arm. "Oh, Babar. Madame and I were trying to decide which cradle we liked best." She pointed to a picture. "This is the one we're thinking of buying. Do you like it, or do you prefer a different one?"

"Yes, of course."

The Old Lady covered her mouth to laugh, and Celeste looked puzzled. "Yes, you like the one we picked out? Or yes, you prefer a different one?"

"I think the one you picked out is just fine." The Old Lady took the picture so she could send away for it.

Celeste leaned toward Babar. "Where are you? You seem very far away."

"You know where I am," he said. "I'm at the Lake, wishing that the rhinos had left it alone." He thought about it some more, then went on. "As soon as this land dispute is resolved, the first thing I want to do is set aside that land as a kind of memorial, where the people can all go to see where we came from. There really should be a road leading there, so no one forgets about it." He hung his head, recognizing that he had forgotten about the land for so long, and that he only stopped to think about it once Rataxes threatened to take it.

Understanding, Celeste gave him a hug. "You should tell everyone in Celesteville. As soon as everything calms down, address the people and tell them that what you plan to do, and that they can't forget their roots."

"That will be next on the big schedule," laughed Babar, cheering up.

Outside, most of the army had been brought home. Cornelius had ordered only a small sector to remain at the border to prevent any rhinos from crossing over again. From the captain, Cornelius had heard that all was quiet, and that there was not a rhino to be seen. Cornelius stood at the garden gate and listened. "It's wonderful to hear birds and insects instead of marching." Everything looked better than it had the day before. It appeared that Babar would not have to fight hard for his birthplace after all. Even things with Pompadour looked better. Satisfied that the soldiers could keep the border secure, Cornelius went inside to begin the filing. On the way to Babar's office, he knew he would pass Pompadour's. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to drop in and say hello. Maybe we can finally clear this mess up." Cornelius was still hesitant to admit to any error on his part, but was as eager as everyone else in the palace for the tension to lift.

The door was shut. Cornelius reached for the knob, only to find that the door was locked. "Oh, right – he is performing inspection. Well, I won't disturb him. We'll have plenty of time to…"

When Cornelius released the knob, it clicked and unlocked, and the door opened. Out came one of the guards, adjusting his tall black hat. He gave Cornelius a salute, and left to join the others. Once the guard had gone, Cornelius went in. "Good day, Pompadour! I thought I'd stop in and see how you were… doing…"

Pompadour was sitting at his desk, filling out the last of the Royal Guard inspection paperwork. His wig was askew, and a few white strands fell across his forehead, and he quickly brushed them back into place. He adjusted his lace cravat, looking down in hope that Cornelius would not notice his flushed face. "Fine, fine. I've just finished inspection." Quickly and carefully, he arranged the inspection report in a file and handed it to Cornelius. "And what is the situation at the frontier?"

Tucking the file under an arm, Cornelius had lost track of what had gone on with the army that day. "No new developments. We're just holding the line." He looked around, unsure of what to say. "Have you spoken with Basil?"

"Not as of yet." Pompadour arranged several stacks of paperwork on his desk. "I do have these to look over."

"I should get to work on this filing." Confused and discouraged, he eyed Pompadour, who seemed to be looking through him rather than at him. _I should never have let that silly fight go on so long. Why couldn't I just be the bigger person and resolve it? _But that was more than he could put into words. "I'm sure you'll work something out, as long as you keep your affairs in order. I'll be off." Cornelius took the file and disappeared, turning the corner to go to Babar's office to organize the filing.

The door swung shut, and Pompadour groaned, resting his head on the desk. For a time, he felt like he had done something well. Though he spent his days with his trunk in the air and head held high, he could not deny feeling powerless, unable to respond to a crisis effectively. Now that he had brought his personal life into his work, he was unsure what he could do or say to patch things up with Cornelius. Leaving the paperwork, he picked up the phone to reach Basil and hoped he could redeem himself by arranging a summit with the rhinos. While awaiting an answer on the other end, running through Pompadour's mind were choruses of _I'm sorry; I know, it was only a mistake; Let's put this behind us_. They were all the things he wished he could have said to Cornelius, but did not.

He phoned Basil's office as he had so many times before when relations with Rhinoland had become stormy. What was there to say when it seemed that no one was at peace? It was all he could do to try to calm himself down as he listened to the phone dialing. _There is no problem so great that it cannot be resolved with diplomacy_. He waited.

Then he heard Basil. "You have reached the palace of Rataxes, King and Supreme Lord over the rhinos and all that he surveys. Basil speaking."

"Greetings, Basil. This is Pompadour, and I have an urgent request from King Babar. He asks that we arrange a peace conference regarding the land dispute." There was silence for a moment, then Pompadour heard a thundering of feet, followed by what sounded like pounding and banging. "Are you there, Basil? What, may I ask, is all that commotion? It is quite ill-mannered, considering you are conducting business."

"Sorry, I didn't catch much of that, Pompadour," answered Basil, sounding uncharacteristically nervous. "Much as I'd love to meet with you and King Babar, we have a bit of a situation on our hands!"

It was unlike Basil to sound so flustered. It was catching. Pompadour raised his voice. "Basil, I implore you! We must speak with you and Lord Rataxes."

"Okay, but you've caught us at a particularly bad time."

"How so?" No sooner had the words left Pompadour's mouth than another barrage of pounding sounded from Basil's end of the line. "Basil? Are you there?"


	7. Breaking Down Walls

Pressing all his weight against the door, Basil struggled to hold it closed. He was not a large rhino, and it was impossible for him to hold fast against the force of the Rhino Army. He locked the door, then pushed his desk and a large statue in front of the door. Satisfied with his work, he remembered the phone. "Hello? Pompadour?"

"I'm here," said Pompadour, concerned but growing frustrated. "Would you please tell me what is going on?"

The noise beyond the door seemed to have subsided, and Basil took a sigh of relief. "Rhinoland is in a serious draught. It hasn't rained for weeks. The river dried up. The only water in Rhinoland… gone."

"I am sure Queen Celeste said that Lady Rataxes demanded water for a pool," Pompadour explained.

"She did. We couldn't get it from our river because it was drying up. And you know Rataxes. I told him we needed to make sure the people still had water, but he wouldn't hear it until after his anniversary." Basil looked out the window of his office to see a crowd of hot and sweaty rhinos waving signs and shouting. There would be no way for him to stay cool under these conditions. "Lady Rataxes' pool is the only water left, and that's drying up fast. I hope we can meet with Babar. After we invaded your land and stole your water, I doubt he'll want anything to do with us." Basil was silent in thought. Like any rhino, he was hesitant to admit defeat, but looking at the angry mob below, he knew he had no other choice. "We need your help. The sooner the better."

Basil listened closely and heard the shuffling of papers on the other end of the line. "Well," answered Pompadour finally, "His Majesty should be able to meet with Lord Rataxes tomorrow morning. I will inform him immediately."

"You have no idea how grateful we are," said Basil, shutting his window to prevent the rocks and sticks thrown by the protesters below from flying in. "Tomorrow morning it is."

"Thank you, Basil. I'll leave you to your… work. Good day." Basil bid Pompadour goodbye, and the two hung up. Pompadour had retained his composure as long as he could; as soon as he released the phone, he leapt up from his desk and ran into the hall. Cornelius was right outside the door, carrying a stack of files, and Pompadour slipped to avoid bumping into him.

Cornelius was transporting some old files from Babar's office to his own. He had managed to take his mind off the land dispute and off Pompadour, but now he was forced back into reality. Seeing the panic in Pompadour's eyes, Cornelius was ready to criticize him for overreacting, but decided against it. "What's going on? Did you set up a meeting with Basil?"

"Yes, but we have a new crisis. This is dreadful! We must bring this to Babar's attention." Still in the dark as to the nature of the dreadful new crisis, Cornelius shrugged, dropped off the files in his office, then proceeded to consult Babar.

In Babar's office, Celeste, Pompadour, and Cornelius stood at Babar's side as he sat at his desk. Pompadour finished explaining the situation. "Sire, the raging rhinos have stormed Rataxes' palace. Their water supply has run out, and Lady Rataxes' pool is the only remaining water in the kingdom. It is only a matter of time before they cross our borders again. We would certainly be overrun!"

After finally hearing of the events taking place in Rhinoland and seeing Pompadour looking so fragile, Cornelius spoke up. "It is a danger, Babar. If Rataxes would send his army into our territory over water for a pool, he wouldn't hesitate to send them in for drinking water."

Babar and Celeste looked at each other dismally. They had both hoped that this land dispute would be over as quickly as it had begun. Of course, that was too good to be true. Babar tried to be optimistic. "We have them off our territory. If we meet with Rataxes tomorrow, I'm sure we will be safe. But I do think it is our responsibility to help them get through this draught."

Cornelius and Pompadour exchanged shocked reactions, but felt somewhat relieved to agree on something for the first time in ages. "My tusks, Babar. You can't possibly want to hand the land and resources over to them!"

Flustered, Pompadour looked back on the diplomatic relations between Celesteville and Rhinoland, remembering little that was positive. "I must agree with Cornelius. How can you even suggest offering aid? Rataxes has enforced blockades and tariffs, imprisoned your subjects, and invaded our land on multiple occasions. You owe him nothing."

"I remember all those things," said Celeste, trying to make peace. "But those were decisions Rataxes made. We can't hold it against his people."

"Perhaps withholding the water is a bit extreme," Cornelius reconsidered. "We could let the rhinos share the water for a price."

"I just don't think I could do that. Rataxes has made some poor choices. But I won't deny the rhinos what they need. Their lives depend on it. I don't want to give up our territory, but if that's what they need to survive this dry spell, we have no other options." Babar thought of his mother. He knew that she would be proud of him for being willing to sacrifice something he loved dearly for the sake of someone in need. But he felt that it was his mother that he was giving up.

"I'll speak with Lady Rataxes when we go tomorrow," said Celeste. "It's her pool the rhinos are concerned about, after all; not our lake. If I invite her again to swim in the ocean here, I'm sure she'd be happy to accept."

Babar looked at her with surprise. "When _we_ go tomorrow? Don't you think you should stay here and rest, dear? You've been under so much stress the last few days."

"In your condition, you shouldn't be traveling so far," Cornelius agreed. "Madame would keep you company."

"I'm sure she would," said Celeste. "But my place is with Babar. I made the trip last week, and I can do it again."

Babar placed an arm on hers. "If you're feeling up to it, I won't try to stop you. We'll fare better as a team. Cornelius, you can take charge of the palace in our absence." Though he took comfort in knowing that his Queen would be by his side, he still feared that there would be no way to preserve the Lake for the elephants while providing water for the rhinos. They were all hopeful that this summit would bring the land dispute to a permanent end, but finding a practical solution was no easy task. "What do you suggest?" Babar looked to Pompadour.

Pompadour was at a loss. "I'm… I'm not sure, your Majesty. We might be able to gain a clearer picture of our options after speaking with Rataxes and Basil." He looked defeated, unable to come up with anything.

"I'm sure you're right. We'll sleep on it, and I'm sure we'll be able to come up with something in the morning."

Cornelius, always the pillar of strength, crossed his arms. "We do have the upper hand, after all. Rataxes has little choice but to accept your terms."

"Thank you, all," said Babar, rising and stretching. "We're off to get some rest. We'll see you in the morning." He and Celeste left for their chamber. Cornelius and Pompadour followed, still unable to speak to each other. Again almost bumped into each other on the way out the door. Pompadour went scarlet, but made a low bow and extended an arm to allow Cornelius to go first. Cornelius said nothing, but went.

Upstairs, Babar and Celeste changed for bed. While Babar buttoned up his green-striped pyjama shirt, Celeste sat up in bed reading. "I promise, Babar. It says here that it is fine for me and the baby if I travel in the next several months."

"If you're sure. I wouldn't feel right going without you. I have a feeling you and Lady Rataxes may accomplish more than Lord Rataxes and I."

"We'll see about that." Celeste put her book down. "Put it out of your mind for awhile. You said it yourself; I think things will look better in the morning." She reached for the light switch, but Babar was in her way, staring at the ceiling.

"I feel like everyone in the kingdom would disagree with my decision for one reason or another. I want to help the rhinos, but I know Cornelius and Pompadour don't believe that Rataxes deserves our help. I would share the land, but I can't let go. Keeping the land under our control, or even going there myself won't bring my mother back or take me back to see her. But if I gave it away, I think she and I would be farther apart than we are. Have you ever felt so caught in between?"

Celeste grinned. "I think I may have."

Turning to look at her, Babar's serious expression relaxed into a smile. "You certainly have." She reached past him to turn off the light. "Good night, Celeste."

"Good night, my love." The two fell asleep peacefully for the first time in days.

Hours passed. Sleep did not come so easily for Pompadour, who stood on the balcony. It was the balcony from which Babar had addressed the kingdom on many occasions. Babar had become more successful and loved than he could have ever imagined. And he had done so with many supporters behind him. As Pompadour watched the lights of the city go out one by one as all the citizens went to bed, he wished he could take his mind off the problems facing the King. Babar's subjects could go to bed trusting their King and his aides to take care of them. Pompadour had no such confidence, knowing that their safety lay partly in his hands. He lowered his head, feeling truly unable to help. _Since this land dispute began, my focus has been entirely wrong. Instead of concerning myself with the needs of the people, I have only considered my own desires. I may not be part of this family, but it is my responsibility to do anything necessary to protect my home and my King_. Only now could he truly empathize with Babar's sense of loss when the rhinos took the Lake and surrounding land. It wasn't just a land dispute; it was about feeling disconnected from others, from family. Pompadour felt isolated from his King, his country, and his longtime friend, Cornelius.

At that moment, Cornelius was strolling down the hall, turning off the lights on his way to bed. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Pompadour, leaning against the balcony railing. Thinking that Pompadour had stepped out to enjoy the breezy night air, Cornelius went out to join him.

Hearing the footsteps, Pompadour jerked his head up. He looked over his shoulder at Cornelius. Pompadour's monocle reflected back the light from the palace hall, and so did the tears that formed in his eyes. He made no effort to hide anymore. It seemed that everything he had done since his falling out with Cornelius was wrong, and nothing was becoming right.

"Whatever is the matter?" Cornelius stood beside him, looking out over the city. "Why, look at this view! When I see this, I'm proud of how far we've come."

The words seemed to make little impression on Pompadour. "We have indeed come a long way since the jungle. Every time a threat leaves the kingdom in crisis, I wonder what will happen to all our hard work. I feel incapable of resolving anything." Pompadour broke out sobbing; he turned away from Cornelius and covered his face. He half expected Cornelius to ridicule him for displaying such vulnerability. Instead, he felt an arm around his shoulders.

"Don't cry, Pompadour. It's easy to feel overwhelmed in our line of work. That is what we protect the people from more than anything else – feeling lost and afraid." Cornelius was unsure what more he could say, still feeling Pompadour's shoulders heave. "You know, I'm not a young elephant anymore. With every year that goes by, I have to prove myself even more, that I'm not too old to do my job. I have to prove it to myself, to the people, but most of all… to you."

Pompadour looked up, tears still slipping down his cheeks. "To m-me?"

"To you. You're still young, really. Sometimes you must look at me and wonder how I still get around without a cane! But old or not, I still lead the army. And I'm sure you can sort everything out with Basil tomorrow. You always have before."

Smiling weakly, Pompadour wrapped his arms around Cornelius. "I'm sorry for everything. I hope you will forgive me."

"And I hope you can forgive me," replied Cornelius, hugging back. Even though the last of the lights of the city were going out, the future looked brighter.


	8. Resolution

Babar helped Celeste into the car just as the sun began to appear through the thick canopy. Pompadour followed, arms filled with books and maps, which he piled into the back of the car. From the palace steps, Cornelius waved, seeing them off. As Pompadour waved back with his handkerchief, Cornelius was content, seeing his friend show what looked like confidence. _My friend. Wonderful to be able to call him that again_, thought Cornelius. Seeing Celeste waiting patiently in the front seat while Babar started the car, Cornelius became concerned again, wanting no harm to come to the Queen or unborn heir during the long, hot journey. In the King and Queen's absence that day, Cornelius would be collecting a delivery for the baby's room. The baby had not yet arrived, but he already felt as though he were the proud grandfather. The car's engine hummed. Babar hopped into the driver's seat. Cornelius watched as Babar, Celeste, and Pompadour disappeared into the distance. He hoped that some progress toward a resolution would be made over the course of the day. It would take all three of them to make that happen.

The sun glared down on Rhinoland, and as Babar's red car crossed the border, the heat hit hard. Gone was the cool protection of the canopy. Lush forest gave way to desert; dunes rose and fell. Sand and small pebbles flew up in the car's path. Celeste shielded her face, and Pompadour took out his handkerchief and sneezed from the dust. The road was bumpy, and seeing Celeste and Pompadour's queasy expressions, Babar was angry with Rataxes for causing all this trouble, for trying to take land that wasn't his, and for letting his own kingdom fall into such poor conditions. Babar turned to Celeste. "Do you need me to stop, dear? You don't look at all well," he slowed the car down.

"We're almost there. I'll be alright until we get there." Celeste answered him calmly, keeping her discomfort well hidden.

Babar silently wished that she didn't have to go through this, but he drove on. Soon, the angry shouts of protesting rhinos were audible. "You can tell we are getting close," Babar announced, unsure whether or not he meant it as a joke. He pulled around a bend and Rataxes's palace came into view. A crowd of rhinos held up signs: a picture of a drop of water, a pool with a line through it. A group of young men had toppled over one of the statues near the palace entrance. "This won't solve anything. All they're doing is making themselves even more thirsty." Babar saw the smallest rhinos crying for water, and knew that there was no way he could refuse to offer water to Rhinoland.

To avoid the throng, Babar took a side road round the back of Rataxes' palace. Seeing the car, a pair of guards crossed their spears to block his way. A third guard appeared from inside, whispered to them, and they leapt apart, allowing Babar to drive through. They were willing to take no chances after the day before, when some of the protesters made it into the palace, making threats and destroying everything in their path. The guards managed to throw them in the dungeon, and a violent confrontation was narrowly averted. Babar's car sent up a cloud of red dust behind it. One of the guards scratched his belly, adjusted his helmet and said, "I hope King Babar can do something about this. Or I'm thinking of joining up with them." With the tip of his spear, he pointed at the shouting crowd.

Rataxes roamed the halls, alternating between uncertainty and anger. _I was only trying to make Lady Rataxes happy. Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to a pool. Why should I get the blame for every little problem? It's not my fault that the river had been drying up… for a few months_… He stopped to look at Lady Rataxes, who was staring out the window, heaving a heavy sigh every now and then. He thought she was looking down at her now empty pool, and couldn't decide whether to be angry that the pool had nearly dried up already, or sad that she had lost something she wanted before being able to enjoy it. Their anniversary had come and gone, and they had not had a romantic evening lounging by the sparkling new pool. Instead, Rataxes and Basil had been trying to prevent the crowd from breaking into the palace, and Lady Rataxes had sat in her room, disappointed, watching her pool, and tucking Rataxes' horn warmer away. By now, she was grudgingly accepting that she could not have her pool. As she leaned on the windowsill, she watched Babar help Celeste out of the car. She wished that instead of pacing and complaining, Rataxes would hold her hand, and open doors for her, like Babar was doing.

Babar, Celeste, and Pompadour approached the side door of the Rhino palace. Two guards stood sleepily at their posts before the door, barely noticing the elephants arriving. The crowd, tired and bored, was beginning to disperse. Groups of rhinos shuffled away, grumbling about Rataxes and the draught. The guards cleared the way into the palace. Pompadour looked disdainfully at the bare stone walls and militaristic looking statues. "If he must spend the treasury imprudently, surely he could spend it on nicer décor," Pompadour declared, in hushed tones.

Despite the hot weather outside, Rataxes' palace seemed colder than Babar's, with its watercolour paintings and great windows. Although not in any hurry to disagree with Pompadour, Celeste was more interested in getting down to business. She looked at Babar. "My only hope is that you can remind him that he has subjects, and he should put them first."

"Hello there!" Basil popped out of his office and into the front hall. "I'll let Lord Rataxes know you're here." He shot down the hall to find Lord and Lady Rataxes standing around in awkward silence. Rataxes was looking at his wife, clearly wanting to say something, to make amends for the plan he agreed to with good intentions. But he had still failed, which was impossible for a proud rhino to accept. "Lord Rataxes," Basil called, meekly. He was always nervous to surprise Rataxes with an announcement. When Basil received only a stony glare, he continued. "King Babar is here to see you."

"Fine, send him to my office." Rataxes was secretly grateful that Babar had agreed to step in after all that had occurred in the last few days, but he hated the thought of having to grovel to an elephant. He weighed the pros and cons of asking for Babar's help or letting his people go thirsty as he marched over to his office.

Before going to fetch Babar and Pompadour, Basil added, "And Queen Celeste is here too, Lady Rataxes."

Lady Rataxes was entirely prepared to react with disinterest, but became excited at the mention of Celeste's arrival. "Celeste is here? I didn't know she would be coming!" Lady Rataxes followed Basil to the front hall to greet her.

With Celeste and Lady Rataxes chatting in the sitting room, the kings and their advisors hoped to come to an understanding behind closed doors. Rataxes, though he knew full well that the future of Rhinoland would be affected by the results of this conference, was not about to make it simple. "What do you want from me, Babar? I was trying to do right by my people."

"Don't give me that." Babar was already losing patience. Dealing with Rataxes during peacetime was enough trouble. Resolving a dispute with him never happened quickly or easily. "Don't even tell me you were thinking of your people when you were trying to build a pool during a draught."

"What's your point?"

"I hoped you could solve your nation's problems when your subjects are in need. And do it within your borders."

Rataxes boiled over. "I suppose you want me to kiss your feet and announce what a lousy ruler I am in a public address? I didn't know that was your land. We're close enough to know that no elephants have been anywhere near there for years. Certainly not you." Babar could think of nothing to say in response. Whether he was aware of it or not, Rataxes had struck Babar with the greatest insult he could have at that particular time: the accusation that Babar had run out on his mother and his past. Babar trusted that Rataxes did not understand this personally, but would have used if he had been aware of it. Rataxes had always been good at getting under Babar's skin, even though Babar had nearly limitless patience.

Sensing their hard work about to be made worthless by a rivalry much older than the land dispute, Basil and Pompadour looked concerned. "Remember what we spoke about, Sire," Pompadour whispered anxiously.

"Your Rhiness," warned Basil, "don't bite the hand that leads you to water."

Babar, always one to choose phrases over fists, spoke calmly. "We're here to help. Just listen to us." Rataxes, who had been fiddling with a loose button on his shirt, stopped and looked up. He extended his arms, waiting for Babar to continue. "We would be happy to share the water with you if you agree to leave the piece of land under our control."

"Hmmm." Rataxes gave the loose button a spin. "Well, I'll have to give this some serious thought." He grabbed Basil by the collar and pulled him over. "Should I agree to this? I mean, you don't think this will make me look bad?"

"I think you'll look better when everyone is less thirsty. Say yes," urged Basil.

Rataxes released Basil with a shove, and crossed his arms, looking satisfied for the first time all day. "Okay. Bring on the water, boys!"

Babar and Pompadour were taken aback, then Pompadour raised an arm to cover a giggle. "Certainly you don't expect his Majesty to simply surrender his supply of water? Some sort of compensation is in order."

"What's this now?" Rataxes looked to Basil to come to the rescue.

Babar disapproved of the direction the process was taking. He wanted some lasting peace with Rhinoland as badly as anyone else, but preferred to quit while he was ahead. "Don't worry Pompadour, I'm sure a peace treaty will be fine. Rataxes, you –"

"He says you need to repay the elephants for starting a war and trying to horn in on their land," Basil chipped in, still eager to stay on Rataxes' good side.

"No way!" Rataxes pounded on the desk. The button on Rataxes' shirt was hanging by a thread, then dropped to the floor. "That's just like you elephants, always wanting more and more from us." He pounded harder, making Pompadour jump. Rataxes laughed. "Oh, the mighty elephants! If you're all as tough as Pompadour here, I'll buy you off. Just don't hurt us!" Rataxes looked at Basil, expecting supporting laughter. Basil feigned a laugh; he was ready for the land dispute to be behind him. Pompadour held his head high, unwilling to give Rataxes any reaction. But he and Babar were losing hope that the land dispute would reach a resolution that day.

Lady Rataxes and Celeste heard the pounding as well, but hoped that their husbands' meeting was nearing an agreement, one way or another. "It is nice to see you, Louise," said Celeste, as the two sipped on cold drinks. "Though I wish it could be under better circumstances!"

"Oh, I know." Lady Rataxes gestured dramatically, nearly sending her drink spilling across the floor. Celeste pulled her feet in closer. "Rataxes has been in a horrible mood for days. I tell him to calm down, but does he listen? Noooo."

"That's—"

"I mean, I'm just as thirsty as the next rhino. And of course I'm a little disappointed about my pool. But really! We're getting through it." Lady Rataxes finished her drink. "I'm sure Babar never gives you any trouble."

Celeste spoke quickly, to be sure she would not be interrupted. "Well, he did try to talk me out of coming along today. I thought it would be wonderful to see you; then we would both have company."

This attracted Lady Rataxes' curiosity. "Why would he try to talk you out of coming? I can't remember him ever leaving you behind before. It's like I always say, behind every great king is a great queen, until she pushes her way in front!" She laughed, and looked at a painting of her standing beside Rataxes. Rather, she was meant to be standing beside Rataxes, but she had elbowed her way in front of him and dominated the picture in an elaborate dress. Her curiosity returned. "So tell me, why did Babar want you to stay home?"

Celeste took a long sip from her glass, unsure of how much of a response to give. She had wanted to wait longer before revealing her pregnancy, and she knew that Lady Rataxes would not be one to keep a secret. But she was a close friend, and Celeste herself had kept the secret about as long as she wanted to. "I… was worried about the heat." Celeste paused abruptly, wondering why it was so hard to tell Lady Rataxes that she was pregnant. Her policy as queen had always been to address situations directly, not to dodge with excuses or paperwork. Having a baby would be more than just another political obstacle. She couldn't be all business anymore. After many years as a wise queen, she would now have to add "mother" to her job description. Now she could see that it would be one of the biggest challenges she had taken on during her reign. "Because I'm going to have a baby."

Lady Rataxes squealed with delight. "I knew it! I knew there was something different about you when I saw you last. You and Babar must be so excited! Tell me everything. You must have names picked out."

In his office, Lord Rataxes bent down to pick up the button, but startled and dropped it again at the sound of his wife's shrill outburst. Pompadour snorted. Slipping the button in his pocket, Rataxes was back to looking sour and disinterested.

Babar leaned against Rataxes' desk. "This is getting us nowhere. If we can't settle this like adults, we may not be able to settle it here." Babar hated the idea of leaving resolutions in the hands of soldiers. As far as he was concerned, continuing the war would add to the problem, not solve it. "I won't ask you to pay reparations. I think we can work out something else."

"Good, because I refuse to pay for damage we didn't cause to land you don't use."

Babar had reached the end of his rope, tired of Rataxes bringing up the fact that the disputed land was deserted. _He always knows exactly what buttons to push_. Still, he kept his cool. "The first thing on my agenda once you and I sort out this land dispute is to turn that land into a historical site, so elephants will be able to visit and enjoy it." Babar tapped on the desk with his trunk, then stopped, his face lighting up. "I have an idea. Rataxes, if you agree to let my kingdom keep control of the land and send some workers to help us construct the historical site, you can have access to the water."

Pompadour adjusted his monocle and examined a map of Rhinoland that was spread across Rataxes' desk. "The Lake is so close to the border that the elephants can help establish a system of wells throughout Rhinoland, thus ensuring the rhinos sufficient drinking water, but preserving our forest." He looked to Babar for approval.

Pleased with the idea, Babar nodded. "Excellent, Pompadour." Babar gritted his teeth and looked to Rataxes. "What do you think?"

Although Rataxes' mind had been wandering, he had paid just enough attention to grasp the idea. His attention span was not long, and he was willing to be done with the meeting and agree to anything that did not involve him making his reputation worse. "I guess so." He leaned over and whispered, "What do you say, Basil?"

"Look at it this way, Sir. It won't cost you anything out of pocket, and you don't have to do any of the physical work."

Rataxes extended his arm. "Agreed."

"Agreed," Babar sighed with relief.

Basil and Pompadour turned to go to Basil's office. "We're going to draw up a peace treaty," announced Basil.

Beaming, Pompadour felt like part of the royal family again. "And promptly put together a practical proposal!"

The tension in the air seemed to dissipate. Babar still found Rataxes hard-headed and disagreeable, and Rataxes was still put off by Babar's impenetrable composure. At least the meeting no longer felt like a competition, a time to hurl accusations of overstepping boundaries. It was like the calm after the monsoon rains. "Come on, Rataxes." Despite being sure that he and Rataxes would never be good friends, Babar saw no reason not to be friendly. "Let's see how Lady Rataxes and Celeste are doing while we wait."

"Why not? But be prepared to hear Lady Rataxes rant about pools. I swear, she will not let that go! That's why I say a king does his best work on his own." He tilted his head proudly toward the massive portrait hanging behind his desk that depicted him riding a black horse, holding a sword in the air. Babar smiled appreciatively, preferring to keep the peace rather than slip in any comments. Out they went, as amicably as could be expected.

Later that day, the sun had moved across the sky and was beginning to dip behind the mountains. The peace treaty had been quickly drawn up, signed, and squared away. Celeste and Pompadour got in the car as Babar started it up. "You've been awfully quiet this afternoon, Babar," said Celeste, finally, looking over the hood. "It sounded like things went well with Rataxes." In the backseat, Pompadour still had a grin all across his face. The peace treaty and work plan, he felt, were his best works in recent weeks.

"That went fine. We sorted everything out." He gave the car a final crank, then got in. "I guess I was just surprised that you would tell Lady Rataxes about the little one. We haven't even made a formal announcement yet."

"Being parents is going to be different than being King and Queen. We may not have made the big announcement, but I was ready to tell a good friend outside the palace." She stroked Babar's shoulder. "Maybe that means it's time to tell the people that a new baby is on the way." With that, Babar's expression softened and became a smile. He turned the car around, and began the long drive home.


	9. Royal Family

Months went by. Babar was just pulling on his red bow tie and looking out the window. He had spent the last several weeks watching the view change. This morning he could see the new road leading all the way through the woods to the Lake. The elephant and rhino workers had just finished the day before, and at the urging of Pompadour, Babar had prepared a speech to formally dedicate the land as a historical site. But he would not deliver it until the next day, not until after he had had a chance to pay a visit to his birthplace himself. He wanted it to be just him and his mother.

Things had improved in Celesteville all around. The day after signing the agreement with Rataxes, Babar announced to Celesteville that the land dispute had ended. More appealing to his citizens was the news he shared with them next. He remembered glowing with pride as Celeste joined him on the balcony and announced her pregnancy. The crowd exploded into cheers, but Babar didn't hear it. He was lost in his thoughts, grateful that war had been narrowly averted, that he had preserved the disputed territory for Celesteville, and that his first child was on the way.

Celeste was sitting at the table, sipping hot tea, when Babar emerged through the dining room door. "Good morning, sweetheart," he said, giving her a kiss on the forehead before sitting down to enjoy some tea himself. "How did you sleep?"

"Not badly," said Celeste. "I hope you've been sleeping well now that I'm taking up so much room." She stroked her growing belly, and Babar smiled. "What are you up to today?" she asked him.

His face lit up. "Besides some paperwork, nothing. I had Pompadour clear my schedule so I could make a trip to the Lake this afternoon. After almost losing the land, I won't take it for granted again."

Celeste put down the mug. "I don't think the rhinos will take their water for granted again either. Now they will have enough water to last until the rainy season… thanks to someone not too far from here." She rose to leave. "I was going to give Lady Rataxes a call today to see how she is doing. We haven't spoken for quite a while."

"You do that. I'll catch up with you a little later."

"Bye-bye," said Celeste, making her way down the hall. During the recent months of overseeing the work on the historical site that would be established and planning for the new baby, she had lost track of time and had not spoken with her friend. She remembered phoning Lady Rataxes months before, under less pleasant circumstances. At least this time the two could just enjoy being friends and forget the political agenda that sometimes governed their interactions.

She dialed. "Hello?" answered Lady Rataxes.

"Hi, Louise. It's Celeste."

"Oh, Celeste! So good to hear from you. We have a lot to catch up on!" Lady Rataxes seemed to be bubbling over with excitement. Though Celeste knew that Lady Rataxes could become enthusiastic about anything at all, this sounded like more than satisfaction with the water agreement. "How have you been?"

"Very—"

"Glad to hear it. You sound well. I'm not doing badly myself. You can't imagine how much has been going on around here!"

"Has the—"

"I was devastated to have to let the pool go. But for the good of the people, sometimes you have to make a little sacrifice. Thanks to our husbands' treaty, there is plenty of water to get by, and then some. You know, you're very lucky to have Babar. He's so thoughtful, and I'm sure he'll make a great dad." She paused to sigh, then picked up where she left off. "So that's the good news. But let me tell you the best news!" Lady Rataxes waited for Celeste to respond. Celeste was silent, knowing she would be interrupted by the best news. "I'm pregnant!"

"Congratulations, Louise!" Celeste was thrilled, and at the same time relieved that she would not be alone anymore; this would mark one more experience the two could go through together. "When did you find out?"

"Just last week! We've been trying for months. Or rather, I've been trying for months, and I don't think Rataxes has been trying at all. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the sound of little feet running around." Lady Rataxes was not about to cast off her veneer of pride to tell Celeste that she had hoped to begin a family, like Celeste and Babar. To have a loving marriage, like Celeste and Babar. Now it seemed like the wish was coming true. She was not about to let Rataxes' pacing and particularly tense mood ruin that. "How have you been getting along the last few months?"

"I'm feeling fine, but I'm outgrowing my clothes so fast. I didn't think I would get so big so soon," she said, rubbing her belly.

Lady Rataxes became sentimental. "I'm sure it's wonderfully exciting! You must be able to feel the heartbeat."

Quickly, before her friend could interrupt, Celeste answered, "Yes. It's…" She felt around, but it seemed to be everywhere. It was on the left. It was on the right. It was at the top. "I can feel it. But I'm wondering if 'it' is really 'them.'" Celeste had to pull the phone away from her ear to protect it from Lady Rataxes' shout of delight. The thought had crossed Celeste's mind before, but she had always brushed it away, unable to picture herself going from a wife and Queen to a wife, Queen, and mother of three besides. Now she was pleased to know that she could have been right. She pulled the phone back to her ear.

Trying to contain herself, Lady Rataxes asked, "So, have you told Babar yet?"

"Oh no," Celeste laughed. "I wasn't sure of it; it was just a suspicion."

"Don't second-guess mother's instinct. Feminine intuition is never wrong! I'm hoping for a girl, but I just have a feeling that it's going to be a little boy, and Rataxes is going to see it as some kind of victory."

"I think just about any father would," said Celeste. Lady Rataxes quite agreed with her.

When Celeste finally put down the phone, she was starting to be hungry for lunch. She opened the door, took a step out, then stopped in her tracks, seeing that she had nearly tripped over Troubadour. "Sorry, Troubadour." He shook his head jovially, not at all bothered. Pompadour emerged from behind the open door, looking flustered; to avoid being hit by the door, he had darted backwards, scattering the papers within the file he had been carrying all over the hall. "Here, let me help you," said Celeste apologetically.

Pompadour raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised that Celeste would take the time to help him. They had had their share of disagreements, personal and political. But he knew that didn't stop her from being kind. As she handed him the last of the stray papers, she said, "I hear from Lady Rataxes that the arrangement you made with Basil really saved the day. She said she expected that the rhinos would be charged for the water, but instead you arranged for the help they needed, but also gave us what we needed. A true negotiator."

Blushing, Pompadour looked down to shuffle the papers back in order. "Why, thank you." He was honoured to hear such praise from Celeste, when he felt she owed him none. He looked down at her large belly, knowing she had more on her mind than the wording in some months-old treaty. She valued his work. "I never congratulated you properly," he continued, gesturing with his trunk towards her belly. "So, congratulations. I'm sure the two of you will be fine parents. After all, you are already the parents of the people! I imagine you must be accompanying his Majesty to the memorial this afternoon? The…" Pompadour looked down to find Troubadour pulling on his suit coat. "I suppose we must get back to business. A diplomat's work is never done!" The two disappeared around a corner. Troubadour rolled his eyes; he had been more interested in preventing Pompadour from a flamboyant display than moving on to the next engagement for the day.

It had never occurred to Celeste that she would not be going with Babar that afternoon, and she was looking forward to it. "It will be just like when we were children. Just the two of us," said Celeste, shuffling off to the dining room.

Meanwhile, Pompadour and Troubadour continued down the hall to Babar's office to drop off the file. On the way, they spotted Cornelius, persistently trying to straighten a picture hanging on the wall. Every time it swayed to a slant, Cornelius muttered and righted it, only to watch it swivel again. Troubadour tilted his head, following the picture, then straightened, and tilted his head with the picture once more. Just when Cornelius looked as though he wanted to rip the picture from the wall, Pompadour reached up to help Cornelius balance it. When they let go, the picture stayed where it was. "Ah, thank you," sighed Cornelius.

"Of course." Pompadour knew that if he had arrived earlier, he would certainly have been fussing with the portrait himself, unable to fully concentrate on his work until it was set to rights. He knew that Cornelius would have certainly criticized him for that very thing during their row months earlier. Since then, their friendship had become all the better, although not without the occasional disagreement. Instead of a critical stare, Cornelius was smiling at him, possibly because he was thinking the very same thing. Pomoadour looked at the picture again, noticing that it was the family portrait: Babar and Celeste sitting on the couch, surrounded by Cornelius, the Old Lady, Arthur, and Zephir, all of them wearing pyjamas. The one in which he was conspicuously absent. Despite being productive in the last few months, and more importantly, loved and appreciated, he still believed that he was somehow separate, not really part of the family.

Seeing how Pompadour seemed to get lost in the picture, Cornelius reminisced. "I remember when you took that photo. It was when Arthur came home from his travels a couple years ago. My tusks, he kept us up all night with his wild tales."

Pompadour stared at Cornelius, confused. "_I_ took this photo? All this time I had simply assumed that I was not welcome."

"Nonsense! I hoped you would be in the photo with us, but you said you'd rather not, because you didn't want to be photographed in your pyjamas. Very silly of you, I thought." Cornelius gave it some thought, then added, "Are you saying you don't remember it? I thought you never forgot!"

Pompadour thought about coming back with a defensive response, but held back. "There's a first time for everything, I suppose."

"What's that?" Cornelius pointed at the thick file that Pompadour was holding.

"You don't remember?" He and Cornelius exchanged understanding smiles. There was so much activity in the palace, details could be easily overlooked and forgotten. "These are the sales records from this past year's peanut crop, ready to be filed."

Cornelius and Pompadour, chatting back and forth, made their way down the hall, shoulder to shoulder. Not wanting to be left behind, Troubadour's feet kicked into gear, and he shuffled along after them.

That afternoon, Babar added the finishing touches to his speech for the following day. "That should do it," he said, satisfied, tucking it into the drawer of his desk. "Now I need to make up for lost time." He passed through the halls, expecting to be loaded down with a series of demands. To his surprise, he was not approached by Cornelius with an announcement, or Pompadour with an agenda. This would be the day that things could be like they used to be, and no one would come between him and his mother. That is, until he noticed Celeste standing by the front door.

"Hello, my dear. How have you been?"

Celeste smiled. "Very well. Are you ready to go?"

"Go?"

"Yes," she laughed, wondering why he seemed confused about the visit he had been looking forward to since the end of the land dispute. "We're going to visit the memorial, aren't we?"

Babar was quiet. He had fully intended to go by himself; it would be the first time since he returned from the city that he could visit his birthplace, and it would be a chance to do so alone. He did not want to tell Celeste no, but he had envisioned how the afternoon would be, and only he and his mother were present. Still, he was not about to push away his wife so he could go off by himself. "We are. If you're feeling up to it."

"Then we're on our way," said Celeste, locking elbows with Babar as they stepped outside.

The little red car climbed the winding dirt path leading to the Lake. _The workers did an outstanding job_, thought Babar, looking at the smooth stones neatly lining the new road. "I'm surprised that so much could be accomplished in just a few months. Many hands make fast work," he said to Celeste. He kept his surprise at the diligence of the rhino workers to himself; he had seen them at work, and they had done their fair share as promised. Though the rhinos seldom took interest in the lives of the elephants, they likely considered the situation an even trade. Celeste had already shared with Babar the word from Lady Rataxes, that the elephants working on the system of wells throughout Rhinoland had put their trunks to the grindstone and had things up and running more quickly than even the demanding Rataxes could have expected. "For once, going over each other's boundaries worked out for all of us," said Babar, as he slowed the car to a stop.

Turning off the engine, Babar stepped out of the car, and opened the passenger door for Celeste. With the car's rumbling roar silenced, all that could be heard were the cries of birds and the rush of the wind through the leaves of the trees. Babar looked around. He had feared that the rhinos might go overboard, chopping down trees left and right, leaving little behind. Instead, the area was left largely intact, the foliage was only tamed to allow easier access to the Lake and surrounding land. Ever since moving into the valley below, the Lake had been nearly swallowed up by the forest. Babar and Celeste followed the path, and found the memorial marking the opening of the clearing where the Lake stood. Babar had commissioned the memorial to be dedicated to the citizens of Celesteville, by the citizens of Celesteville and Rhinoland. I still wish I could have given the land to my mother, he thought, _but it has always been hers. Now her people can enjoy it as well_.

They stood by the Lake, watching the water birds dance, chasing fish, then take off into the air in groups, like white clouds rising from the water. He happily imagined his people able to swim in the Lake, and the small children playing there, just as he did as a boy. The two said little apart from pointing out familiar landmarks.

"Remember all the water fights we had with Arthur there in the shallow water?"

"And I remember playing hide and seek in those trees."

"There's where you pulled the stump out of the ground."

The two stopped just beyond the clump of trees, in a clearing, which then narrowed into a long grassy path, leading to a great open field beyond. "I was born here," mused Babar, wishing he could remember his early days. All he knew for sure was that as a youngster, looking up at his mother and the other adults, they seemed so tall, and the tops of the trees seemed unreachable. His environment seemed smaller now, and much more fragile. He knew that nothing was guaranteed to last, and any simple act of entering the bounds of the kingdom could change it forever. He realized that though he loved his mother dearly, she had been taken from him so early, he missed his chance to get to know her, for her to be there as he grew. His memories of her were dim. His best connection with her was being there, feeling the cool breeze on his face.

He put an arm around Celeste, pulling her in against him. "Think of it, my love," he said. "Three generations, right here." With his other arm, he touched her belly, hoping to feel the baby. Curious, he looked at her. "That's a very busy little one. Is there always so much kicking?" He asked, amused.

"There is," she said. Celeste was eager to tell Babar about her suspicion. She had a feeling his mother would be proud, but she was unsure how he would take the news. "Because I think they're excited to be here."

Babar went back to listening to the wind in the trees for a moment, then looked back at Celeste, shocked. "Did you say 'they'?"

She laughed. "A _parent's_ work is never done. We'll definitely have our work cut out for us."

Although Babar knew he would be facing months of sleepless nights, and days of dashing back and forth between work and family, he knew it would be worth it. From the feet of his mother, he had risen to the throne of Celesteville. He had no doubt that he could follow in her footsteps, and raise her beautiful grandchildren. He and Celeste stood there at the edge of the jungle. As far as the elephants had come over the years, Babar was glad that they could now take the time to cross the boundary, and revisit the land where they were children once, allowing the next generation to grow up in the best of both worlds, on the boundary of the modern and the simple.


	10. Crossing Boundaries

"So you see," Celeste said to Babar, who was listening intently, wrapped up in the memory of visiting the homeland, "People get defensive about things they're attached to, others may overstep boundaries because they have little choice, and others can feel caught in between."

Babar nodded. He had hoped that Flora and Alexander could resolve their disagreement by themselves, not only because he wanted them to be able to mediate themselves like adults, but also because he did not want to have to decide who was right when there was no way to. He loved all his children, and he could not play favourites between them. Years after the land dispute had been resolved, he finally understood how Celeste felt, caught in the middle between supporting him and sympathizing with her friend. "I suppose I was a little tough on the children. I think they both did the wrong thing, but I can understand why. How can I help them get over this?"

"Maybe you need to give both of them as much of what they need as you can."

Celeste patted his shoulder, then left to get Isabelle.

Babar gave it some thought. He then picked up something from high in his closet, and brought Alexander back to Flora's room, sitting down with them.

"I'm not going to punish either of you. I just want you two to give this some thought." Looking to Flora, he added, "And I think it's about time you had something nicer to keep your change in." He handed Flora an ornate box that Arthur had brought home from a visit to a distant island some years earlier. The outside was green and gold, and the inside was lined with pink satin. Flora's eyes lit up, and she became less interested in her old glass jar. "What do you think?"

"Really?" Flora excitedly took the box, and moved her spare change inside. It looked like a treasure chest. Putting the lid back on the glass jar, she handed it to Alexander. "Here you go. I'm sorry for getting so mad at you."

"No problem," said Alexander, happily taking the big jar. "Sorry I came into your room without knocking."

Babar was pleased to see Flora and Alexander getting along again. "Have fun on your frog hunt, Alexander," he said, pointing out the window.

"You mean it? I can go?" Alexander couldn't believe it. After being sent to his room, he had mentally written off his afternoon of mud and frogs.

Babar nodded. But as Alexander turned and made his way towards the door, he stopped him. "Wait just a minute, Alexander. I think there's one more thing you can do before you go." Alexander cringed, but stopped to listen.

Half an hour later, Pom climbed the stairs, meeting Alexander at the top. "Are you ready to go now?"

"You bet!" cheered Alexander, glass jar in hand. He and Pom raced down the steps, nearly running into Cornelius, who was on his way up.

"My tusks!" Cornelius laughed, seeing their excitement. "Have fun, you two!" He reached the top, and stretched, trying to ease the ache in his back. _I wish I could still do that_, he thought, watching Pom and Alexander running off. On the way to Babar's office, he passed Flora's room, which now had a sign that said "Please Knock". Alexander had stacks of construction paper in the playroom, and had given some to Flora, allowing her to make the sign.

Cornelius entered Babar's office to find Babar consulting with Pompadour. "You said you had some concerns about the Victory Parade?" Babar asked.

"Sire, the main road desperately requires repair. The royal handyman is on holiday this week, and I fear that we will be unable to punctually prepare for the parade," fretted Pompadour, looking upset. "I don't want to interfere with his well-deserved time off, but he should have had the presence of mind not to desert us at such a critical time."

"Take it easy, Pompadour," said Babar. "I know you're stuck in the middle on these negotiations, but I'm sure we can work something out." Babar looked out the window to see his sons playing in the mud, and beyond, saw the part of the forest that surrounded the Lake. If he had been able to protect the land and give his people a place to revisit their past, he could give them a parade, with a little consideration of boundaries.


End file.
